A commentary by Kuno Neumeier, CEO of the Logivest Group
Whether in conversations or on social media, criticism of communication about defence projects is becoming increasingly vocal. Essentially, the demand is that we should exercise restraint when publishing information so as not to provide the enemy with detailed data.
‘The enemy is listening!’ was a recent comment under a social media post in which a general contractor announced his new construction project for a player in the defence industry. But in this day and age of digitalisation and satellite or drone imagery, does the ‘enemy’ really need a post or a press release to find out about locations or construction projects? Especially since, in this case, a glance at the building permit, which is publicly available, is sufficient.
The topic of ‘defence’ currently dominates news coverage, talk shows and conferences. We learn that the German Armed Forces lack soldiers and equipment and what else is lacking – from highly official sources. We know where our arms industry is located, where the NATO bases are, where the US military bases are – and with just a few clicks, you can find plenty of map material on this too. The German Armed Forces and the Federal Agency for Real Estate Tasks (BImA) are subject to strict communication requirements. Civilian companies with which they cooperate sign NDAs and confidentiality agreements.
But how should we – how should the logistics real estate industry – behave in terms of communication? Can we name names, or are we actually revealing sensitive details? The trade press reports that AIRBUS is building a new plant right next to Wunstorf Air Base to maintain the German Air Force's A400 aircraft in future. This is interesting information for the industry, but is the enemy reading this too?
The crucial question is: are we aware of the sensitivity of the defence industry and what responsibility do we, as the logistics real estate industry, bear? In my view, what we need are clear rules for communication, ideally developed in dialogue with this typically secretive industry.
