EuroSpike Offering Spike LR Missile for German Army Puma Armored Vehicle

Released on Wednesday, February 20, 2008

EuroSpike GmbH, a joint venture of Diehl BGT Defence (40%), Rheinmetall Defence (40%) and Rafael (20%) headquartered in R�thenbach a.d. Pegnitz, is offering a light, multi-purpose guided missile system (MELLS) for the Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle PUMA as well as for the infantry. SPIKE LR, a fourth-generation guided missile, is the only system meeting all key requirements of the armed forces.

Due to its universal operative capability, high effectiveness, its proven reliability and its unsurpassed performance, the SPIKE guided missile was introduced by numerous nations (Finnland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and the Czech Republic). Consequently, a highly effective and economical multi-purpose guided missile system can be produced for the German Armed Forces in a short time period.

In Germany a series order of SPIKE LR would secure key expertise (70% German workshare) in production and integration of missiles as well as optronic seekers and preserve important high-tech jobs in the long term. A decision in favour of SPIKE LR would place production of key components (weapon installation, seeker head and guidance unit, warhead, fibre-optic data link and integration) in German companies.

The industrial partners Diehl and Rheinmetall possess a net product share of 60 to 65 mio. Euros in the German company locations resulting from previous SPIKE export orders. In case the Federal customer procures the guided missile SPIKE LR, approximately three quarters of the required funds would remain in Germany�s economic cycle. Alternate armament solutions would only yield a fraction of industrial net product thus offering only little economic benefit for Germany.