German Iron Dome parts production to begin in 2027 - report
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is set to begin manufacturing Iron Dome components at a former Volkswagen plant in Osnabruck, Germany, starting in 2027. The deal aims to repurpose the facility amid Volkswagen's broader restructuring and layoff plans.
Why it matters
This represents a significant shift in European-Israeli defense cooperation and provides a strategic industrial solution to mitigate job losses in the German automotive sector.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will begin manufacturing Iron Dome components next year at the plant currently belonging to Volkswagen in Osnabruck, the carmaker’s management confirmed at the weekend, German magazine "WirtschafWoche" reports.
This is a precedent-setting step in which Israel’s defense industry will collaborate with a core German corporation, and among other things help save thousands of employees from imminent layoffs. Volkswagen itself will not be involved in the deal and will sell the factory to a consortium that will also include the state of Lower Saxony and a Bavarian investment fund, according to the magazine report.
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