Pistoriusseeks to acquire 105 additional Leopard 2 tanks.
Expanding Bundeswehr tasks leads to a planned deployment of a fully-equipped combat brigade in Lithuania soon. To achieve this, new battle tanks are required, but the funding for the latest procurement plans remains uncertain.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius plans another substantial acquisition for the Bundeswehr's rearmament. The Defense Ministry is allegedly going to purchase 105 Leopard-2A8 combat tanks from KNDS for approximately 2.93 billion Euros. These tanks are expected to be delivered to the armed forces by 2030, according to a report in "Spiegel," citing a budget committee document from the German Bundestag. The committee will examine this large-scale project before the summer break.
Confidential documents suggest that this significant order will ensure a steady supply of combat tanks for the proposed German brigade in Lithuania. The documents indicate that the brigade will form "one of the initial elements of forward defense in the NATO alliance."
Equipping the brigade with the "best and uniform gear" is vital, and the additional Leopard tanks would also modernize the armored troops in Germany, which is of high importance for the Bundeswehr.
Unresolved Financing for Tanks
Last year, the Bundeswehr agreed upon a framework contract with KNDS for the delivery of 123 Leopard 2A8 tanks. Only 18 weapons systems were ordered initially to compensate for the transfer of Bundeswehr tanks to Ukraine. The 35 tanks for Lithuania are set to be delivered by 2028, while the remaining 70 will be delivered by 2030. As of now, the Bundeswehr owns around 310 Leopard tanks of various types. The new systems would expand the inventory by about one third.
According to the documents, the Finance Ministry highlights that the costs for the tanks cannot be covered by the 100-billion special fund or the previously targeted annual budgets of the Defense Ministry for the years following 2025. Instead, a so-called authorization to incur debt should be granted. This would give the federal government the assurance that the bills will be paid after and the contract executed.
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The budget policy for the German Armed Forces is currently facing uncertainty due to the high cost of acquiring additional Leopard tanks. Boris Pistorius, the German Defense Minister, is seeking to procure 105 Leopard 2A8 combat tanks, which could potentially be sourced from KNDS, but the financing for this significant order remains unresolved. The German Defense industry stands to benefit from the ongoing acquisition of Leopard tanks, as these modern vehicles will not only equip the proposed German brigade in Lithuania but also enhance the capabilities of the Bundeswehr's armored troops.
