Posted on 01/09/2019 11:26:03 PM PST by Simon Green
Germany’s Armed Forces are most likely to stay underequipped for the next decade or so, the German Defense Chief has admitted. Meanwhile, the units are stuck with sharing gear and vehicles.
At least nine brigades in the German Armed Forces, known as Bundeswehr, lack the necessary equipment and arms, the military Inspector General Eberhard Zorn said, adding that they are expected to be “fully equipped” no sooner than in 13 years – by 2031. The lack of spare parts for the military equipment also remains one of the major concerns.
At the same time, he was pretty confident that Germany would be able to maintain its status of one of the NATO leading military forces through all these years by redistributing the existing equipment between its units.
“The negative side of this [strategy] is, of course, that we would not have enough equipment for the units that have [lent] theirs,” he said, noting he expects the Bundeswehr to “make some progress” both in terms of equipment and personnel by middle of 2019 without providing details about the plans.
The German military has been continuously struggling with a series of problems plaguing their equipment for quite some time. It has recently been a steady source of news about planes that can’t fly, tanks that break down and vessels that are unfit for maritime operations. In November 2018, it was reported that the bulk of its new military equipment delivered to the troops in 2017 is not fit for service.
A month earlier, the German media said that one in three tanks is not ready for combat. In autumn 2017, Germany was literally left without its entire submarine fleet as all of them were either on maintenance or in dire need of repairs.
However, the Bundeswehr’s problems are not limited to just equipment failures. The lack of personnel the German military is facing has apparently become so severe that Zorn recently openly suggested recruiting people from other EU nations to fill the gaps in the Bundeswehr’s ranks. Earlier, the military tried to solve this problem by luring German teenagers into the army. Even though they did achieve quite significant results, it was apparently not enough to satisfy the needs of the Bundeswehr.
bump for later read
Sleep soundly, France.
Ok so they are off the NATO dole, but are they attempting to be our enemy?
Thanks for giving Poland the heads up.
Gee, what could go wrong?
By then, they’ll be so choked up with Muslims that the only ‘Combat’ they’ll see will be from within.
Hitler wanted a Muslim army, he hated Christianity, thought it a too ‘flabby’ religion for soldiers. He believed had Germany adopted Islam, they would have conquered the world.
But Trumps a bully by insisting that Germany spend more on defense?
Heinz Guderian and Erwin Rommel are weeping in their graves.
On the other hand the last time the Germans rearmed they destroyed Europe.
Maybe if France attacks now they MAY have a chance.
Oops, Macron is busy with those unarmed yellow vest folks.
Sorry France, you blew your chance.
You coulda been a contendah!
In turn, they spent more money on "social" programs.
Way past time they turn more of their financial focus on their own military and defense and less on the socialist "freebies."
What’s their rush?
Just what the world needs.
“German reunification: I view this in much the same way I view a possible Dean Martin - Jerry Lewis reconciliation: I never really enjoyed their work, and I’m not sure I need to see any of their new stuff.”
Dennis Miller
Problem is, on who’s side...
Berlin will be a smoking radioactive crater courtesy of Iran well before then.
Yep, Adenauer alluded to it.
I read somewhere that the Germans couldn’t field more than 93 operational tanks recently. That is damn pitiful with Russia right on their doorstep, but it is what happens when social programs get all the money.
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