In times when the rule -based international world order is increasingly under pressure and are increasingly breaking off crises and conflicts worldwide, geopolitical developments in recent years have shown how important a sovereign, resilient state is. A strong nationally anchored defense industry is also necessary. At the same time, defense expenditure worldwide and Austria will increase strongly in the upgrading and modernization of the Federal Army in the coming years: in 2025 alone, the defense budget is EUR 4,740 billion and 5,184 billion euros for 2026. From this global development and the Austrian procurement processes, the Austrian security and defense industry including all suppliers result in a potential for national added value that needs to be used.
To exploit this potential more and to secure safety -relevant supply chains Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner and Minister of Economics Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer a task force “industrial cooperation”. “With the Taskforce ‘Industrial Cooperation’, we want to clearly define the framework conditions in order to use the procurement of the Federal Army for Industrial Cooperations. These framework conditions must be transparent and over all doubt, which is why this process takes place with close integration of the financial practice”according to the two ministers Tanner and Hattmannsdorfer.
The aim of the Taskforce is to strengthen the security -relevant domestic production through cooperative procurement projects and industrial partnerships in the defense area and to specifically expand technological competence and the sovereignty of Austria. Possible cooperations in connection with the impending procurement of the jet trainers are also to be assessed by the Taskforce and subsequently serve as orientation for future procurement.
The “Industrial Cooperation” task force is made up of representatives of the Federal Ministry of State Defense, the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism, the Chamber of Commerce Austria, the Industrial Association and the Financial Procurature.
“The developments in the field of security and defense policy also open up the opportunity to bring added value into the country again and to use procurement projects in the defense sector together. convinced that we can contribute to Austria’s economic performance and thus actively contribute to securing our national sovereignty “so Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner.
“Austria has a strong security and defense industry that despite the general recession has a constant growth and ensures workplaces at the business location in Austria. It is therefore only logical that we, as a business location, have a maximum interest in the fact that procurement in the defense area, as is common, triggering orders for the business location in our own country. Cooperations with the aim of national security use more in the future and I am pleased that Minister Klaudia Tanner and I take a first important step in this way with the establishment of the task force and thus also complete our two ministries in this area “so Economic Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer.
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