Germany and the USA agree on closer arms cooperation

Germany and the USA want to significantly expand their cooperation on armaments projects. To this end, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and his US counterpart Pete Hegseth signed a declaration of intent in Washington on increased cooperation.

“Germany and the United States agree that the current security policy challenges require a robust and mutually beneficial defense industrial base on both sides of the Atlantic,” the German Defense Ministry said at the meeting in Washington.

Both countries have powerful defense industries that could and should complement each other even more in the future in the production of state-of-the-art weapon systems, components and complex ammunition, it said.

The high demand for armaments requires increased production capacities, short delivery times and reliable supplies on both sides of the Atlantic in order to ensure the alliance's security of supply and operational capability.

The declaration of intent sets a political framework for future projects, according to the ministry. It is about the development, production, license production and maintenance of military equipment. The aim is also to strengthen supply chains, review technology transfer regulations and increase cooperation in research and development.

Before the meeting with Hegseth, Pistorius had referred to the cooperation on the F-35 stealth jet and the planned production of guided missiles for the Patriot air defense system in Germany.

"But our common potential goes further. Germany has a powerful industrial base, well-trained specialists and cutting-edge technological expertise. This allows us to create additional production capacities," explained the SPD politician.