The German army wants to buy new weapons worth almost 400 billion euros. Experts warn: by the time they are delivered, the weapons may already be obsolete, says "Frankfurter Rundschau", writes BTA.
The Bundeswehr wants to prepare as quickly as possible to protect Germany and Europe from a possible threat from Russia. The war in Ukraine threatens Europe, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in October. For this purpose, the Bundestag has allocated billions. Since the beginning of the year, defense spending has been excluded from the debt brake restrictions. By 2029, the government wants to invest 153 billion euros in defense. To make the army combat-ready again, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius wants, among other things, to reform the military service. But investments in weapons and armaments are also at the top of the plans.
The Bundeswehr's wish list is long. "Politico" magazine has access to a 39-page document in which the Bundeswehr lists in detail the land, air, sea and space weapons it wants to purchase from 2026 onwards - worth 377 billion euros. "Tagesspiegel" also reported on the content of the list. Against this backdrop, the 2026 defense budget of 108 billion euros pales in comparison...
The Bundeswehr plans to invest billions of euros in new weapons from next year
According to the report, the Bundeswehr's wish list includes, among other things:
• 650+ armored vehicles (type "Puma")
• 550+ mobile air defense systems (type "Skyranger 30")
• 12 reconnaissance drones (type "Luna NG")
• The "Iris-T" air defense system
• Geostationary communications satellites and other space security infrastructure
• 15 F-35 fighter jets
• 4 Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft
"Politico" notes that several of the Bundeswehr's most expensive new projects are not on land, at sea or in the air, but in orbit. The list includes satellite programs worth more than 14 billion euros, which provide for new geostationary communications satellites, modernized ground control stations and, the most ambitious project, a satellite constellation in low Earth orbit worth 9.5 billion euros, which would provide constant and interference-resistant communication for troops and command posts.
According to "Handelsblatt" However, many of the orders will not be ready for use until the next decade. And "Politico" notes that for some of them there is still no clear deadline. This poses the risk that the weapons ordered now may already be obsolete by the time of delivery.
Gundbert Scherf, co-founder of the drone startup "Helsing", expressed concerns in an interview with "Handelsblatt" that the German army is not ordering enough drones. "We have found the formula at the moment: tanks and drones. It sounds equal", Scherf explained. "However, the reality is that if you look at all the plans, the budget allocation is still 99 to one. This does not reflect either the experience of Ukraine or the development in the coming years." Scherf, whose company is exporting the HX-2 kamikaze drone to Ukraine for frontline use against Russian targets, also points out that "80 to 90 percent of the losses on both sides [Ukraine and Russia - ed. note] are due to drones",
Schref's estimates contradict statements by Rheinmetall CEO Armin Paperger, who expressed skepticism about the decisive role of drones in the war in an interview with "Handelsblatt".
"But the fact is that the current war shows that wars are still fought with tanks and missiles. That will not change in the future," Paperger told the newspaper. "There are a lot of these narratives right now that claim that future wars will be fought only with drones. I think this is nonsense."
Experts warn of misinvestment by the German military
Two experts, Neil Ferguson and Moritz Schulerick, point out that "the conduct of war is closely linked to technological innovation". Neil Ferguson is a historian and Schulerick is president of the Institute for the World Economy in Kiel. According to "Bild", experts continue to criticize the fact that since 2022 only 1% of the budget has been invested in research and development, while production has stagnated. Germany is the only country in Europe that has the industrial base necessary to achieve the goals.
That is why experts are calling for the creation of a central body - a Defence Industry Council, says "Bild". It should bring together civilian and military companies for the purpose of armaments. If more funds are needed, European defence bonds could be issued.