Deficits on NATO's eastern flank: According to the report, the Bundeswehr is threatened with "qualified failure" in air defense
Created: 12/14/2022, 4:38 p.m
By: Bedrettin Bölükbasi
Apparently, the Bundeswehr can only fulfill its tasks on NATO's eastern flank to a limited extent.
(Archive image) © Philipp Schulze/dpa
A report by the Federal Ministry of Defense shows that the Bundeswehr can sometimes fulfill its tasks on NATO's eastern flank "only with restrictions".
Munich – In the background of the Ukraine war and the explosive situation with Russia, NATO countries are concerned not only about supporting Ukraine but also about their own armed forces.
So does Germany.
The deficits of the Bundeswehr with regard to sufficient ammunition have recently caused a lot of excitement.
Now a new report by the Federal Ministry of Defense is likely to cause more irritation.
It states that the Bundeswehr can indeed fulfill the tasks on the eastern border of NATO.
However, this is only possible with “restrictions”, as the
mirror
reports.
NATO eastern flank: Bundeswehr apparently with gaps in Battle Group in Lithuania
In a letter accompanying the report, Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) assures that the Bundeswehr stands by its alliance tasks on the eastern flank "without ifs and buts" and "reliably" fulfills all alliance obligations.
According to the enclosed report, however, there are considerable difficulties in equipping the relevant units.
In the midst of the Russian war of aggression and the possible threat to NATO territory, the alliance particularly increased its presence in Lithuania.
Germany is also making a contribution with a so-called battle group.
However: The troops of the Bundeswehr are struggling with gaps at this critical point, as
Der Spiegel
writes, citing the report.
The Bundeswehr will set up a NATO VJTF - but "only minimal requirements" can be met
Since one is dependent on “the acquisition of multinational force contributions”, the German army cannot currently provide any artillery forces.
In addition, there is apparently a lack of air defense of the battle group.
The reason: The corresponding German Patriot systems are reserved for the VJTF, NATO's rapid reaction force.
The report predicts a “qualified miss” from 2023.
The Bundeswehr will set up the VJTF in the coming year.
Here, too, a catastrophic picture emerges.
A lack of material - such as tap-proof digital radio equipment - leads to a "partly qualitatively restricted" operational readiness.
The reason is "delays in important IT projects", which only ensure "limited" digital control of the VJTF.
The fulfillment of "only minimal requirements" is promised.
A “significant capability deficit” is predicted for anti-aircraft defense.
This is not the end of it: not only in Lithuania, but in Germany itself things are looking bleak.
The report warns of problems in military airspace security due to significant signs of aging in systems on the ground.
These include airspace radar stations, flight radios or software for command posts.
And of all things, at a time when Kremlin propagandists are threatening Berlin with an aerial attack.
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Bundeswehr deficits: Lambrecht blames “underfunding” in recent years
Trouble deploying the key NATO force in the midst of a tense situation could prove quite embarrassing for the Bundeswehr.
Minister Lambrecht apparently sees the former government with the CDU/CSU as responsible for the gaps.
"The gaps in human resources, material equipment, infrastructure and spare parts and ammunition that have been torn by decades of structural underfunding cannot be closed with the stroke of a pen," she writes in the letter accompanying the report.
In the report, Inspector General Eberhard Zorn calls for the entire Bundeswehr to be generally ready for action.
After all, the national and alliance defense requires "a fundamental change in the requirements for the operational readiness of the entire Bundeswehr, both quantitatively and qualitatively".
(bb)
