Germany to Commit up To €7 Billion on Purchasing New Ships and Armored Vehicles
According to reporting by Bloomberg, as a part of Germany’s progressing overhaul of its armed forces, the country’s ruling coalition will soon announce a proposal for new orders for two navy frigates and hundreds of transport vehicles, worth up to €7 billion (or $7.6 billion).
The specifics of the order include committing about €3 billion($3.2 billion) for two F126 navy frigates, to be added on top of the four from the initial contract signed in 2020, with the first ship expected to start service in 2028. The procurement is to involve the Dutch company Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding BV as the lead contractor, alongside France’s Thales and Germany’s Blohm+Voss.
On top of that, about €4 Billion is to be spent on ordering 900 new Fuchs TPz armored personnel carriers(APCs), to be manufactured by Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, with the first deliveries to be expected in 2025.
This latest move is part of Germany’s efforts to reinvigorate the Bundeswehr. The military faced heavy criticism for being grossly underprepared for a potential conflict, exemplified by reports from late 2022 that it only had enough ammunition for up to two days of sustained fighting.
Germany’s military overhaul, prompted by the beginning of Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, includes a €100 billion fund to boost remilitarization efforts on top of the usual €52 billion annual military budget, signaling a willingness to reach and stay at NATO’s 2% GDP for military spendings target, which the country historically struggled with.
This funding spree echoes efforts made by different European countries, with governments of Poland, Estonia, Norway, France, and others all significantly boosting their defence spendings over last 2 years.