Body armour shortage: Berlin demands damages from Rheinmetall in millions
5,200 ballistic protective plates used by Berlin police were withdrawn because they were not bulletproof. Berlin is ordering replacement plates for €1.2 million and demanding damages from Rheinmetall.
Berlin police wore defective protective plates from Rheinmetall – city demands millions back
More than 5,200 ballistic protective plates used by Berlin police had to be withdrawn from service because they lost their protection before the expiration of the ten-year manufacturer's warranty. As BILD reported exclusively, the security incident affects the model KINS.0087 D T04 C01 – ceramic plates of protection class 4, which weigh between two and three kilogrammes and are inserted into vests when there are threats from hunting rifles or assault rifles.
Berlin's interior senator Iris Spranger (SPD) described the incident in the interior committee of the House of Representatives as "scandalous" and levelled serious accusations against manufacturer Rheinmetall. "It is an absolutely unacceptable quality defect in a product from Rheinmetall," said Spranger. She spoke of "Rheinmetall's failure".
The so-called "ban on use" was issued on 29 July, according to BILD's information. In an internal police document obtained by BILD, it states: "The reason for this is a failure to pass ballistic tests conducted by the Mellrichstadt ballistics testing authority." During inspections and test firings, the plates failed to stop bullets. The plates date from 2017.
The affected protective equipment is required in operational scenarios such as mass shootings, terrorist attacks and operations against heavily armed organised crime groups. Berlin has now ordered 2,000 replacement plates for €1.2 million – which represents less than half the number of plates that failed.
Spranger is demanding that Rheinmetall immediately compensate for the resulting damage. She announced that she would personally meet with company officials to enforce claims for damages. Rheinmetall has so far not commented on the allegations.
Source: BILD