La coalición gobernante en Alemania pide más tanques para el Bundeswehr

Defense projects: Coalition politicians want more tanks for the Bundeswehr 


Battle tank "Leopard 2 A6" in the exercise assignment: Retrofit geplantZur closeup 
DPA 

Der Spiegel

Defense experts of the grand coalition are demanding more money for the army, especially for new tanks - and a quick decision on the planned air defense system Meads.

Berlin - The Grand Coalition is to upgrade the Bundeswehr continues: As a consequence of the Ukraine crisis, the defense of the Union and SPD politicians advocate to create considerably more tanks than previously planned. The targeted number of 225 Leopard tanks and 190 Radpanzern type "Boxer" was no longer appropriate given the current security situation. The write the defense experts of the coalition, according to the Reuters news agency in their applications for the 2015 budget.

Accordingly, the existing tanks will be modernized and a development program for a new generation of main battle tanks - "Leopard 3" - will be launched. The global security situation requires based on the value of the Bundeswehr a rethink, write the deputies. This applies accordingly also the financing of the army.
The request comes for the German armaments industry at the right time: The tank builder Rheinmetall and KMW are worried about jobs, since Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel has announced a more restrictive arms export policy. These should relate primarily tanks and small arms such as assault rifles, according to the will of the SPD politician. At weddings, the Cold War ordered the Bundeswehr over several thousand battle tanks.

The defense leaders of the coalition are committed to also ensure to procure more modern sets of personal equipment for soldiers fighting force in the coming year. To the system with the name "Future Soldier" include clothing, jackets, radios and night vision devices. So far, so especially the soldiers were equipped in Afghanistan.

Rapid decision on air defense system 

In addition, the deputies ask the Defense Department to provide additional money for the maintenance of large equipment - a sum in the complaint but not named. A list of defects was recently shown that particularly in the Air Force many large appliances are not ready. This was attributed, inter alia, a lack of spending on maintenance and spare parts.

The Ministry of Defence should also have ready money for the replacement of those weapons that Germany has provided to the Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq. It was particularly important that the peshmerga in the army not come to an ammunition shortage because of the release of material and rifle training does not suffer.
In addition, the military leaders promote a quick decision on the future air defense system of the Bundeswehr. The decision should not fall this year as possible, according to the applications. The Defense Department had recently postponed the decision on the future of the system Meads, to replace the aging Patriot batteries in 2015. The budget committee of the Bundestag decided in November on the applications.

The Bundeswehr and therefore Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen have been weeks of harsh criticism - partly because of several technical glitches. Critics accuse the Minister that the equipment of the troops is contrary to their goal of a new responsibility of the Bundeswehr in the crisis areas of the world.