Berlin Approves Submarine Delivery to Egypt, Other Middle East Deals

In addition to a submarine to Egypt, four corvettes to Israel and ammunition to Qatar, Germany’s Federal Security Council has also approved the delivery to Pakistan of a third RAS-72 maritime patrol aircraft. (RAS photo)

The German government has approved Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems’ license to supply a submarine to Egypt and four warships to Israel. Minister for Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier (CDU) announced these decisions of the Federal Security Council on Tuesday to the Bundestag's Economic Committee in a letter that was made available to the German Press Agency.

The committee also gave the green light for the export of ammunition and fuses worth EUR 179 million produced by Rheinmetall's to the Gulf emirate Qatar, while a Rheinland Air Service (RAS) aircraft will go to Pakistan and 72 Diehl Defense air-defense missiles to the Philippines.

Rheinland Air Service has already delivered two RAS 72 Sea Eagle maritime patrol aircraft derived from the ATR-72 commercial turboprop. It is part of a multi-year contract signed in 2015 for equipping the Pakistan Navy with a modern fleet of maritime patrol aircraft. The first aircraft of the fleet was formally handed over in June 2018 and the second aircraft was delivered after it was unveiled to the general public at the Paris Airshow in June 2019.

Germany’s Federal Security Council approves export of ammunition and fuzes worth $195.4 million to Qatar Produced by Rheinmetall..probably for Qatar Armed Forces Leopard 2A7+ and PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers https://t.co/AqSaKteQQq pic.twitter.com/9AhcXKDt0q

— Abdulmoiz (@abdulmoiz1990) April 2, 2020

Egypt was the third best foreign customer of German manufacturers last year, ordering armaments for 802 million euros.

Deliveries to the country ruled by President Abdel Fattah al Sisi are controversial because of the human rights situation there, but also because Egypt is part of the Saudi Arabian war coalition of Arab countries in Yemen.

The German federal government has imposed an arms export ban on Saudi Arabia, among other things because of this war against the Houthi rebels supported by Iran.

The left Bundestag MEP Sevim Dagdelen sharply criticized the export permits. "In violation of its own principles, the federal government continues to irresponsibly authorize weapons of war to authoritarian regimes in areas of tension and crisis," she said. "We need an immediate end to this unscrupulous export policy that endows weapons conflicts worldwide."

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