Wikileaks: 'Galileo boss' Smutny removed over cable row!

The chief executive of one of Germany's leading space companies has lost his job because of the Wikileaks saga.

OHB-System's Berry Smutny was reported in a cable to have told US diplomats that Europe's Galileo satellite-navigation project was a "stupid idea".

Bremen-based OHB-System is part of the consortium that will build Galileo's first 14 operational spacecraft.

Although Mr Smutny has denied the cable's contents, OHB's board has decided to remove him from his post.

www.bbc.co.uk...

Who said wikileaks doesn't have an effect, allbeit not the type most would of been holding out for.
Smutney called the Galileo project a "stupid idea" in a leaked cable which he denies and got the sack because of it. It's fair enough really.
What sort of knock on will this have for Galileo?
Hopefully not much, he will just be replaced but I'm guessing we will know more tomorrow when people go back to work and here the news. It's very interesting and will definitely be worth keeping an eye on developments.

For those who don't know about the GNSS and the Galileo satellites here is the wiki for a run down.

Here is the Danish site that first published the cable, site is in Danish but the cable is in English.
www.aftenposten.no...
This is the statement made by the OHB group on the Friday after the Thursday release seemingly standing by their man.
www.ohb-system.de... hs-on-reports-concerning-comments-attr.html
Looks like that has changed. Given the nature of what he was saying I think they were left with no choice.
There has always been opposition to the GNSS, maybe it's part of a bigger conspiracy.
Unlikey though.

reply to post by pazcat
Thanks for the links. What's quoted on the Danish site cable to Smutny is this:

SUMMARY: Berry Smutny, the CEO of Germanys top satellite manufacturer, OHB-System, called the EUs Galileo global navigation satellite system (GNSS) "a waste of EU tax payers money championed by French interests."

The "stupid Idea" comment doesn't appear in quotes attributed to Smutny. I'm not sure how to read the cable but my guess would be that's not a quote from Smutny but a characterization by the author of the cable?

reply to post by Arbitrageur


It actually does go on further and says...

Smutny stated frankly, "I think Galileo is a stupid idea that primarily serves French interests"

There is quite a bit of slamming French interests in the whole cable.
It goes on...

He claimed the EU desire to develop a redundant but alternative to GPS was spearheaded by the French after an incident during the Kosovo Conflict when the US military "manipulated" GPS to support military operations (NFI). Since this time, he said France has aggressively corralled EU support to invest in Galileo development -- something Smutny said France wants to ensure their missile guidance systems are free of any GPS reliance. Smutny added, the irony for German investment in Galileo is that some of Frances nuclear missiles are aimed at Berlin.

edit: I'm quoting from the aftenposten link above. Thought I should add that.

It was late last night and I managed to get Danish and Norwegian confused. The aftenpost paper is from Norway.

Anyway regardless, in anbother cable released earlier on Smutny goes on to accuse France of being the leaders in Industrial espionage.
So it definitely seems Smutny had some prior issues with the French.

Smutny frankly said "France is the evil empire stealing technology and Germany knows this"

Going on at length of his despise of the French, Smutny said French IPR espionage is so bad that the total damage done to the German economy is greater the that inflicted by China or Russia.

www.aftenposten.no...

France 24