Volkswagen is pivoting from cars to military tech at one of its factories, a reflection of the challenges facing Germany’s auto sector. The company plans to use an embattled German car plant to manufacture components for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, the Financial Times reported.
It’s the highest-profile example of the beleaguered German auto industry — plagued by falling profits and Chinese competition — seeking partnerships with the booming defense sector.
The deal aims to save 2,300 jobs at the plant, which was under threat of closure.
Germany sees an opportunity in its industrial know-how, as manufacturers across the country are “scrambling to reinvent themselves as military vendors,” The Wall Street Journal wrote in December.
