Germany to turn VW plant into Iron Dome production hub with Rafael and Aurelius

German Lower Saxony, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Aurelius Capital signed a letter of intent to buy Volkswagen’s Osnabrück plant and establish production of Iron Dome components in Germany. The Tamir interceptor itself won’t be made there, but military vehicles, launchers, generators and other equipment will be produced as part of a defense-center initiative. The site employs about 2,300 people and VW plans to exit by late 2027. This move strengthens Israel-Germany defense cooperation and Europe’s defense manufacturing, including broader Arrow 3 deployments and future partnerships.