Rheinmetall and Rohde & Schwarz have signed a notarized article of agreement for a Joint Venture (JV) company which the two technology groups will use to bid for two major Bundeswehr procurement programs: MoTaKo (German military shorthand for “Mobile Taktische Kommunikation” or mobile tactical communication), and MoTIV, which stands for “Mobiler Taktischer Informationsverbund”, or mobile tactical information network. Final establishment of the joint venture is still pending anti-trust approval.
Rheinmetall will hold a 74.9% share in the new company, with the remaining 25.1% held by Rohde & Schwarz.
Back in March 2017, Rheinmetall and Rohde & Schwarz agreed to a wide-ranging partnership in order to play a leading role in the future digitization of Germany’s ground forces.
In this vital project, the joint venture plans to draw on the expertise and solutions of additional partners in order to put forward the best-possible proposal with regard to capabilities and competitiveness, while taking due account of national confidentiality and security imperatives.
As digital services for mobile elements, MoTaKo and MoTIV are the German Army’s principal modernization projects for ground operations, with Bundeswehr’s entire communication system and thousands of vehicles earmarked for retrofitting in the medium term; the scope of applications extends from tactical operation centers down to the individual infantryman on the ground.
In the new Joint Venture company, Rheinmetall will be responsible for the command systems, the cross-functional operator interface and the complete vehicle integration process. Drawing on its core competency of secure communication, Rohde & Schwarz is in charge of the complete architecture, including IT and cyber security as well as the IP-based system solution for robust, military voice and data transmission, including incorporation of components and solutions from other contractors.
A huge, highly sophisticated, time-critical project, MoTaKo and MoTIV are also vital for protecting the Bundeswehr from cyber threats, and will require full integration into the German military’s IT system. Cooperation between the two companies and other contractors will result in an overarching approach based on market-ready, steadily evolving solutions.
The Rheinmetall Group is a high-tech enterprise specializing in mobility and security solutions. Consisting of three divisions - Vehicle Systems, Electronic Solutions and Weapon and Ammunition - the Group’s Defense arm is one of the world’s foremost defense technology organizations. Its wide array of products ranges from vehicle, force protection and weapon systems to infantry equipment and air defense technology, and from engagement sequence networking to sensors and electro-optics as well as advanced simulation and training solutions. With some 23,000 employees worldwide, the Düsseldorf-based Group generated sales last year of €5.6 billion.
The Rohde & Schwartz technology group offers innovative solutions in all areas of wireless communication as well as information security technology. Founded over 80 years ago, this independent enterprise maintains a tightly woven sales and service network, with branch offices and representative in more than 70 countries. As of 30 June 2016, Rohde & Schwartz had some 10,500 employees worldwide. Group sales in FY 2015/2016 (July to June) came to around €1.92 billion. Headquartered in Munich, strong regional hubs run the business in Asia and America.
