German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz and other German car brands are betting on defense contracts, Bild newspaper reports.
France recently ordered 7,000 Zetros trucks and signed a partnership with German drone manufacturer Quantum Systems. The Bundeswehr (German armed forces) has already ordered hundreds of Arocs 6x6 trucks from Daimler Trucks (Mercedes owns 30%) for logistics purposes; Lithuania has also placed a similar order. Mercedes-Benz itself is also planning a targeted expansion into the military sector.
Of particular interest are the Mercedes G-Class SUVs (called Wolf in the Bundeswehr). Daimler Trucks' range focuses on the Unimog all-terrain vehicle, the Sprinter van and heavy-duty trucks. The company is attracted by the prospects for large-scale production - often in the thousands, the newspaper notes.
In collaboration with Quantum Systems, “Mercedes is working on the integration of trucks with multiple unmanned vehicles“. “The fundamental position of Mercedes-Benz is to develop and produce civilian vehicles. At the same time, our security and defense activities are a strategic development direction that we will continue to actively shape together with our partners“, said a Mercedes spokesman.
However, the overall strategy remains unchanged: Mercedes definitely has no plans to become a defense company. The company does not produce tanks, artillery or ammunition in its own factories. Vehicles are being equipped with military equipment and weapons at partner facilities. However, this trend is not limited to Mercedes: defense companies are currently actively seeking ties with Germany's ailing auto industry.
For example, the Israeli concern Rafael is looking for factories in Germany to produce missile defense systems and assemble its laser weapons. Tank manufacturer KNDS is in talks to buy or partially use the Mercedes plant in Ludwigsfelde, near Berlin. Volkswagen's Osnabrück plant (scheduled to close in 2027) is also high on KNDS's list for the production of Boxer armored personnel carriers. BMW is in talks to introduce autonomous driving technologies into the military, the newspaper concludes.