Deeper defence co-operation with Germany being realised: Turnbull

Joint-capabilities

24 April 2018

By: Reporter

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel. Image via @thepmo

Australia's selection of two German companies to undertake key Defence projects is strengthening its relationship and export opportunities between the two nations, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said.

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The Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Marise Payne this week visited German's Defence Ministry and inspected Rheinmetall's Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV) which Australia recently selected for the $5 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 project.

At least 211 vehicles will be built, 25 in Germany and the rest in Queensland. The PM said the project will create up to 1,450 highly skilled jobs across Australia.

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The government also selected German ship designer Lürssen last November to design 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The first two will be built in South Australia by ASC while the remaining 10 will be built in Western Australia.

"I look forward to closer co-operation on defence and national security," the Prime Minister said in Berlin.

"So deeper defence industry co-operation is being realised and delivers strategic and economic benefits to both our countries."

The Prime Minister also talked up the two projects while giving a keynote address at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Berlin, saying the projects will give the German businesses a better chance at targeting opportunities in the south-east Asia region.

"We want to facilitate European defence industry, working with us to develop the industrial base we need in Australia, to pursue the largest re-equipment of our armed forces in peacetime," he said.

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"These projects are key investments in our military capability, but they’ll also create export opportunities. Rheinmetall will be able to leverage a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in south-east Queensland in pursuit of new opportunities in the south-east Asian market."