“Defence is now by far the most dynamic sector of German industry,” says Armin Papperger, chief executive of Rheinmetall, Germany’s biggest arms producer. Until recently no one, including Mr Papperger, the firm’s boss for the past 12 years, would have believed it. But as European countries prepare for a big boost to defence spending, Rheinmetall and its peers, including Hensoldt, a maker of electronic-warfare equipment such as radars, and Renk, which manufactures military vehicles, are scaling up production as quickly as they are able.
