Rheinmetall to supply 32 tanks to Ukraine next year
The arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has received an order from the German government for 32 Leopard tanks to support Ukraine in the war against Russia. The vehicles are to be delivered next year, as the company announced in Düsseldorf on Tuesday. These are Leopard 1A5 tanks, i.e. older models. The order is divided into 25 combat tanks, five recovery tanks and two driving school tanks, which will come from industrial stocks. The order value is reportedly in the upper double-digit million euro range, which will pay for training, logistics, spare parts and maintenance work.
The vehicles will be refurbished at the Rheinmetall sites in Unterlüß and Kassel. This is not the first Leopard order for Ukraine from the German arms manufacturer. In June, the Netherlands and Denmark ordered the delivery of 14 tanks of the newer, but already outdated type 2A4; these steel giants are also to be handed over to Ukraine next year. In addition, the Bundeswehr and armies of other NATO states have already handed over Leopard tanks from their own stocks to the Eastern European state.
It is common for tanks to be decommissioned after decades of use and sold to the industry at very low prices. They are then usually stored in poor condition. Such buybacks by the industry are ultimately a bet on the future: the companies are counting on there being demand for the military vehicles again at some point. With the war in Ukraine, this calculation worked out. However, modernizing the old steel hulks is time-consuming. It takes several months before the vehicles are upgraded with new technology and ready for the front line.
Rheinmetall took a similar approach with Marder infantry fighting vehicles, for which the Group has so far received orders for 80 such vehicles. A large proportion of these are already in service in the Ukraine.
The Defense industry, including Rheinmetall, is playing a significant role in supporting Ukraine's Defense against Russia, as evidenced by the order for 32 Leopard tanks from the German Federal Government. The Federal Government has recognized the need for modern military vehicles in the ongoing conflict, leading to a substantial contract for Rheinmetall.
Source: www.dpa.com
