In view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the arms industry is experiencing a boom – and needs massive numbers of personnel. The industry is talking about the largest wave of recruitment since the end of the Cold War.
Global arms companies are currently hiring more staff than they have for decades. According to research by the Financial Times, the 20 large and medium-sized arms manufacturers examined are planning tens of thousands of new hires this year alone.
Ten of the companies examined planned to increase their workforce by almost ten percent. In total, that would mean 37,000 new jobs.
Order backlog at record height
After years of stagnation, the industry is seeing a sharp increase in orders and, in some cases, record-high order backlogs. In addition to the Russian attack on Ukraine, other geopolitical tensions such as the Middle East conflict have accelerated government armament programs.
“Since the end of the Cold War, this is the most intense period for the defence sector with the highest increase in order volume in a relatively short period of time,” Jan Pie, Secretary General of the European industry association ASD, told the FT.
A wide range of professions in demand
Employees are sought in all possible functions, from engineers to software developers, cyber security experts, mechanics and welders.
The European rocket manufacturer MDBA is planning the largest percentage increase in personnel among the companies examined. The joint venture between Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo wants to increase its workforce by around 17 percent to 17,600 employees. MDBA produces the “Taurus” cruise missile and “Patriot” anti-aircraft missiles, among others.
Search for staff abroad
Rheinmetall, Germany’s largest defense company, is also planning to further increase its workforce by more than ten percent. On Friday, the DAX-listed company, together with Continental, announced that it intends to take on employees of the automotive supplier who are no longer required.
Due to the ongoing shortage of skilled workers, German companies such as the drive manufacturer Renk are increasingly looking for employees abroad, according to the “FT”. This highlights another challenge facing the industry: many jobs require qualified security checks on applicants, which takes up time and scarce resources.