The German defense company Diehl has begun a very active expansion of its production facilities. Recently, the construction of a new workshop for missile production has begun near the town of Nonweiler in Saarland. It will be part of the existing Diehl production facility.
In its official announcement, the manufacturer attributes this expansion to the huge demand for their products, which continues to grow. First and foremost, we are talking about IRIS-T missiles, which are used in fighter aircraft, but are better known in anti-aircraft variants for IRIS-T SLS and IRIS-T SLM systems.
Read more: Germany to Deliver Two IRIS-T Air Defense Systems to Ukraine by the End of 2024
They are in operation or under contract in 20 countries, including 9 that deploy them in air defense systems. IRIS-T air defense systems are the basis for the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) to develop this defense component, including the future NNbS air defense system.
At the same time, the new missile production facility significantly automates production processes. The planned staff increase at this site will be around 100 people. Diehl also notes that the new facilities will be operational by the end of 2025.
At the same time, the defense segment of Diehl Defense has increased its workforce from 2,800 to 4,400 since 2021. This is a good reflection of the pace at which the defense company is expanding.
Moreover, the company has actively started acquiring the assets of more well-known arms companies. For instance, on November 14 this year, the company announced the takeover of Dynamit Nobel GmbH, part of Dynamit Nobel AG, which collapsed in 2003.
Diehl acquired shares, all assets and facilities in Troisdorf. At the same time, it expanded its capacity by adding the production of explosives and detonators, along with the entire license and patent base of the enterprise.
This Diehl expansion is very important for the defense capability of Europe, including Ukraine, where IRIS-T SLS and IRIS-T SLM systems make up a significant part of the air defense. At the same time, the German company offers the IRIS-T SLX system with a range of up to 80 km.
Earlier Defense Express reported that Germany is developing RCM as Palianytsia analogue for multiple platforms.
Read more: How Many Storm Shadow / SCALP Missiles the UK, France, and Others Have
