A subsidiary of Germany's Rheinmetall, a specialist maker of automotive parts and defence equipment, intends to produce up to 1,200 Fuch-type armoured vehicles for Algeria, Der Spiegel said Sunday.

According to Monday's edition of the weekly, which quoted government sources, the German government believes that the Rheinmetall subsidiary will produce in Algeria over the next 10 years 1,200 armoured vehicles.

Der Spiegel recalled that the German government had given its approval in early 2011 for the delivery of 54 armoured vehicles of this kind for a total order of 195 million euros ($248 million). It also agreed the delivery of all-terrain vehicles for 286 million euros.

Rheinmetall, which is listed on the stock exchange, achieved in 2011 nearly four million euros in sales, including half in defence.

Arms sales are regularly the subject of intense debate in Germany.

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RHEINMETALL