2014-08-25 By defenceWeb
Germany’s Economy Ministry has approved plans by defense group Rheinmetall to deliver an armored vehicle assembly plant to Algeria, according to a reply sent by the ministry following a request from a member of parliament.
Rheinmetall’s delivery to Algeria includes a production line to assemble the Fuchs armored vehicle, as well as other parts valued at more than 28 million euros ($37 million), according to the document.
German magazine Der Spiegel had earlier reported on the approval, according to Reuters.
The planned factory, located about 400 km east of Algeria’s capital Algiers, is to build nearly 1,000 armored vehicles, Der Spiegel said, adding parts would be exported to the country, where workers would assemble them.
It was earlier reported that 980 Fuchs 2 vehicles will be built as part of a 2.7 billion euro deal. Apparently Algeria has agreed not to sell the vehicles to other countries.
The deal is the result of a visit to Algeria by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2008 and was largely approved by the previous government, Der Spiegel said.
Algeria has ordered around ten billion euros worth of military equipment from Germany in the last few years, including two Meko A200 frigates from Thyssen-Drupp and SUVs and trucks from Daimler.
Last year Algeria purchased 825 million euros worth of tank parts, SUVs and trucks from Germany.
In 2011 Germany authorized the export of 54 Fuchs vehicles worth 195 million euros to Algeria, as well as other military vehicles worth 286 million euros, according to Der Spiegel.Algeria is greatly expanding its military and just this year ordered two Kilo class diesel electric submarines from Russia, and in 2015 the Algerian Navy will take delivery of the landing and logistic support ship Kalaat Beni-Abbes. 42 Mi-28N Night Hunter attack helicopters and six Mi-26T2 cargo helicopters were ordered this year in a nearly $3 billion deal from Russia.Also this year it emerged that Algeria’s military has acquired self-propelled artillery from China.