Pistorius wants to buy more submarines for the Navy
Two U-Boats of Class 212CD have been ordered by Germany for the Navy. According to Defense Minister Pistorius, four more are planned. The additional costs are estimated to be around four billion Euros.
Given the threat situation from Russia, investments in the Navy are of essential value for Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. "Therefore, I will now deal with the question in the second half of the year as to how and at what speed we can order the further required four U-Boats of Class 212CD," Pistorius said during a visit to the marine base in Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein. "This will show, even in the context of further budget consultations." Germany has so far ordered two of the boats and has an option for four to six more.
The contract value for four more U-Boats could amount to nearly four billion Euros, according to information from the German Press Agency. The 212CD boats are a German-Norwegian billion-dollar project. Work on the first of four U-Boats for Norway has already begun at the Kiel shipyard Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems.
Soldiers demonstrated a seaborne military evacuation operation to Pistorius during his visit. The minister also went aboard "U31" for a trip, including a dive. "I am impressed by what I have experienced here," Pistorius said. The dive was "an experience I greatly enjoyed and will not forget soon."
The operational readiness of German submarines has been criticized publicly in the past. "Those times are over," Pistorius said. The material operational readiness of the submarines has significantly improved. The Navy invested around 72 million Euros in the infrastructure at the Eckernförde base in the past five years, according to the minister. "In the coming years, we will take another 500 million Euros into our hands here at the site, focusing on water construction measures," Pistorius said.
The defense minister also addressed the personnel issues of the Navy and referred to an online campaign by the Baltic Fleet. In one month, 50 interested parties for service on board were won over, who want to complete an internship. "I am confident that one or the other seafaring heart will be discovered and then finds its future in the Navy."
Boris Pistorius emphasized the importance of military investments in politics, particularly in the Navy, due to the threat from Russia. The Federal Army is planning to order four more U-Boats of Class 212CD, with Boris Pistorius mentioning that he will discuss the details of this order later in the year.
