Defense industry and security technology group Rheinmetall has become one of the strategic partners of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) for deployed operations support.
As part of the project, Rheinmetall will be obligated to provide services when called upon by the Bundeswehr for four years with a triple-option for a one-year extension.
In a written statement, Rheinmetall said that Germany’s armed forces will be able to count on a reliable partner to set up, operate and, when necessary, dismantle operational infrastructure.
The group defined deployed operations support as a core capability, ranging from the establishment of forward operating bases to the creation of permanent operational infrastructure -- including, for example, accommodation, water supply, power generation, rations and mess halls, waste disposal and laundry services.
Pointing out the framework of the “German Armed Forces Contractor Augmentation Program (G-CAP) that requires private sector service providers to supply troop support services during deployed operations, Rheinmetall said: “In adopting this policy, the Bundeswehr joined a global trend -- many other armed forces rely on service providers to perform such tasks.”
It stated that G-CAP is primarily intended to relieve the troops and let private industry set up the operational infrastructure, thus enabling the Bundeswehr to conserve resources and focus on its core mission in high-threat situations.
Recalling the around €350 billion (over $400 billion) estimated value of annual global sales for these services, the group said: “Rheinmetall is positioning itself to address this growing international market.”
“The Dusseldorf-based Group has set up a company for this purpose, Rheinmetall Project Solutions, which will consolidate and develop resources and capabilities necessary for operational support of this kind and seek to provide services on a long-term basis,” it added.
