Traffic light failure?
The Bundeswehr is desperately waiting for new Leopard 2 tanks.
General contractor Krauss-Maffei Wegmann is currently producing for Hungary.
Munich – 72 out of 290: According to a simple calculation, this is how many Leopard 2 main battle tanks the German Bundeswehr had last operational.
According to research by
ZDF,
a total of 90 Leopards were last in good shape.
However, 18 modern examples of the tank model are currently being sent to the Ukrainian armed forces so that they can respond to the faltering Russian spring offensive with a counter-offensive.
According to reports, eight more Leopard 2s of the Bundeswehr are stationed on NATO's eastern flank in Lithuania.
64 copies remain in Germany itself.
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In short supply in the Bundeswehr: Leopard 2 main battle tanks, which are assembled by a general contractor in Munich.
(symbol photo)
© IMAGO / Political Moments
But while NATO partner Greece, for example, acquires military equipment from the USA, very little is happening in Germany in this regard, as a
Merkur.de
research shows - and that in the middle of the Ukraine war.
Bundeswehr special assets: traffic light coalition has not ordered any new Leopard 2
As the general contractor Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) from Munich
informed
Merkur.de on request, "the federal government has not yet ordered any new battle tanks".
This applies to the period since the announcement of the "Bundeswehr special fund" by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) at the beginning of March 2022.
"KMW only comments on the conclusion of contracts, but not on speculation about negotiations," Krauss-Maffei Wegmann said at the same time: "KMW does not report publicly on operational details of maintenance work.
However, the German government already announced in February that it would vigorously promote the replacement of tanks to be handed over to Ukraine.”
Tanks in the Bundeswehr: Munich-based company KMW is currently modernizing the Leopard 2 A7
Currently, at least "Leopard 2 older designs are being modernized to stand A7" for the Bundeswehr, according to Munich-Allach, where the armaments company is based.
The A7 is currently the most modern version of the "Leos".
In the new building, on the other hand, KMW is “currently producing Leopard 2 A7s for Hungary and will soon start producing 54 Leopard 2 A7s for Norway,” explained a KMW spokesman.
Is that why there is no production capacity at all in the Bavarian state capital should the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP decide to order new “Leos” after all?
The tank builder said: “KMW is able to react flexibly to new orders.
Here, KMW relies on its own capacity and that of national and international partners.”
Tanks, drones, anti-aircraft defenses: weapons for Ukraine
Tanks, drones, anti-aircraft defenses: weapons for Ukraine
Budapest might still be ahead of Berlin.
In December 2018, Hungary had already ordered a total of 44 new Leopard 2 main battle tanks and 24 new 2000 self-propelled howitzers from the Munich company that builds the "Leos".
The first examples were delivered in the summer of 2020 - which also shows how long such a tank production ultimately takes.
Leopard 2 for the Bundeswehr: CDU politician Kiesewetter sharply criticizes the "traffic light" coalition
CDU defense politician Roderich Kiesewetter recently sharply criticized the "traffic light" for its hesitation with the "Leos".
“There is simply a lack of orders and financing commitments for the defense industry.
If no Leopard 2 is ordered, then none will be produced," the Swabian explained to
Merkur.de
.
Kiesewetter, who used to be a professional soldier himself, called for "measures to speed up procurement".
An important step is, for example, increasing the number of cycles in industry.
For example, the shift system at the producers could be expanded and a hiring offensive started through planning security, suggested the CDU politician: “But you have to want all that politically.
And unfortunately I didn't see that from the Chancellery or the Federal Ministry of Defense last year."
(pm)
List of rubrics: © IMAGO / Political-Moments
