The German company MBDA can resume production of Taurus missiles, but this requires a government order.
Thomas Gottschild, head of the concern, stated this in an interview with Augsburger Allgemeine, Ukrinform correspondent reports.
"The production line for the Taurus, the test equipment and the corresponding workshops remained. We could start production of the Taurus at any time. But to do that, we need a new order for these weapons,” Gottschild said.
He noted that there are "a lot of signals" from the government, but the manufacturer needs contracts. "Now we are confident that these contracts will be concluded", – said the director of the company.
At the same time, he specified that it is impossible to start production immediately, as many suppliers will also have to increase production.
"So, if we receive new orders for Taurus, our suppliers will first have to change their position and, for example, take care of the necessary raw materials", – said the head of the company.
According to him, the military industry needs a base load in production in order to be able to support the production of weapons. “Then in emergency situations like now, we will be able to increase production very quickly,” explained Gottschild.
He did not comment on whether Germany will supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine, noting that this is a political decision. At the same time, he expressed confidence that such missiles with a flight range of more than 500 kilometers are needed by Ukraine to fight against the enemy's logistical chains and strike strategic targets.
The head of the company also announced plans to produce missiles for the Patriot air defense system. According to him, several countries have joined forces in this direction at the initiative of Germany. MBDA has contracted with the American company Raytheon through a joint venture to produce up to 1,000 missiles in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria. The contract is designed for 10 years. The first missiles will be delivered within three years.
"Given the course of the war in Ukraine, we will understand that we need both high technology and scale, especially when it comes to ammunition", – stated Gottschild.
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He also informed that MBDA Germany over the next four years will invest more than 200 million euros in the expansion of production lines at its enterprises.