Actually, the legal dispute with the US defense company Lockheed Martin seemed to have gone off lightly for the Department of Defense.
The procurement chamber of the Federal Cartel Office decided two weeks ago that the Bundeswehr was allowed to stop a bidding competition for the delivery of heavy-duty helicopters launched in 2019 in September 2020.
The termination was effective, so the chamber, the proceedings do not have to be continued.
The joy of the ministry lawyers, however, only lasted for a short time. Because on closer reading of the reasons for the verdict, it became apparent that the decision was in truth a legal slap in the face for the Federal Armed Forces Procurement Office.