Aerial reconnaissance in Afghanistan - Oppenhoff & Partner advises Israel Aerospace Industries on UAV project of the German Air Force

Press Release 24 November 2009

Oppenhoff & Partner has extensively advised Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) on the conclusion of a contract with Rheinmetall Defence Electronics GmbH (RDE) as main contractor and in negotiations with the Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement (Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung, BWB) to procure reconnaissance capacities using unmanned aerial vehicles type Heron.

Within the context of the so-called “SAATEG Interim Solution” project, the German Armed Forces receive comprehensive reconnaissance data in real time. With the complex contracts (with a substantial transaction value), both the industry and the Federal Government have broken new ground in several respects: instead of procuring the unmanned aerial vehicles and operting itself, they have agreed on a flexible service model which ensures the German Air Force reconnaissance capacities for up to 3 years, whilst the operational risk is borne by the industry to a wide extent. Because of the time pressure, a pragmatic administrative concept was required. In addition, the rendering of services in Afghanistan has required new tax approaches.

An Oppenhoff & Partner team, led by Michael Abels and Dr. Marc Hilber, extensively advised Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. Further team members were Dr. Johannes Rabus (commercial), Dr. Gunnar Knorr (tax law), Stephan Müller and Holger Hofmann (both public law/regulatory). RDE was advised by Dr. Thomas Brinkmann, Schackow & Partner. The BWB was legally represented by its in-house team led by Gerd Malewski.

About Oppenhoff & Partner
Oppenhoff & Partner is an independent law firm located in Cologne. It sees itself as a top-ranking legal adviser of enterprises and entrepreneurs, offering a broad range of advice on commercial and tax law. With more than 55 lawyers, it focuses on the provision of advice to regional, national and international major and medium-sized enterprises. Oppenhoff & Partner’s clients include Ford, Hannover Rück, Johnson & Johnson, M. DuMont Schauberg, RWE, United Airlines, Vattenfall and the Zurich Group.

Contact at Oppenhoff & Partner

Elmar Salinger
Public Relations Manager
Tel: +49 (0) 221 2091-315
elmar.salinger@oppenhoff.eu