War has been raging in Ukraine for nine months, which has completely changed the security situation for Germany as well. The acquisition of new weapon systems is hardly progressing despite the "turn of the era". Is there also strolling?
The Chancellery wants to discuss the crisis in ammunition procurement for the Bundeswehr with experts from the armaments industry. "There will be talks with selected representatives of the armaments industry at official level," said deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann. She contradicted reports that there would be a "munitions summit" next Monday.
Months ago, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Chairwoman of the Defense Committee, called for a top group of politicians and armaments industry. The FDP politician had also advocated the appointment of a central coordinator for Ukraine aid and armaments procurement. The Bundeswehr suffers from a dramatic lack of ammunition because too few were ordered for years. The German industry had reduced their capacities because of the austerity measures or stopped production. Now there is also stronger demand from the ranks of the allies. Slow buyers have to queue at the back.
Discussions are to be held with industry on how production can be expanded and accelerated. Most recently, the federal government had declared that Germany would have to buy ammunition for 20 billion euros. The Union had accused Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht of having made little progress with the purchase of new weapons and equipment despite the 100 billion euro special pot. The turning point proclaimed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz on February 27 "is not taking place," said Union parliamentary group leader Johann Wadephul in the Bundestag.
According to the CDU politician, Lambrecht seems haphazard in day-to-day business and overwhelmed with conceptual tasks. "The Bundeswehr now has a catastrophic stock of ammunition. The artillery troops are basically without ammunition and can no longer practice firing live shots." The defense policy spokesman for the Union faction, Florian Hahn, said it was good that the Chancellor was finally making ammunition a top priority. "Ms. Lambrecht is not up to this challenge," he said. "No more time can be wasted on this issue, which is vital for survival and decisive for the war."
Dissatisfaction with the situation was also voiced by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Högl. "None of this is happening fast enough for me either - especially when it comes to personal equipment. But with heavy weapon systems in particular, it simply takes time for systems to be ordered, built, delivered and introduced," said the SPD politician to "Zeit". The fact that protective vests and backpacks that have been ordered should arrive by 2025 is "really fast" for the Bundeswehr. She blamed the employees of the responsible authorities: "Unfortunately, there is sometimes indifference and disinterest among the responsible officials in the Bundeswehr: we don't have it, be patient, it won't be that important, we'll send something like that afterwards soldiers hear this all the time. Some soldiers therefore buy the equipment privately at their own expense."
