Germany’s one-off $108 billion private spending on new military equipment is expected to be approved on Friday and benefit US manufacturers.
This plan, which fell outside of Germany’s normal budget, emerged with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and would help Berlin meet its failed obligations to NATO.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling coalition announced its intention to rearm on 27 February, three days after Russia’s offensive began.
Announcing the move, Scholz said, “Obviously we need to invest heavily in the security of our country to protect our freedom and democracy.”
Germany has often been criticized by the United States and other NATO allies for inadequate defense investments, and former US President Donald Trump has always been keen to emphasize this point.
On Monday, Trump finally received a loan to meet NATO’s defense spending requirements after years of failing to deliver on Germany’s promises. https://t.co/LBnxEDgbDK
– Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) March 1, 2022
Germany’s intention is to spend more than two percent of its gross domestic product on defense, a NATO target. The government and opposition have agreed that defense spending will meet the 2% “annual average” target with the help of a special fund.
Authorities acknowledge that the German armed force, the Bundeswehr, has suffered years of neglect and particularly obsolete, poorly functioning equipment, the AP reported.
The blame has been placed on the centre-left Union of Social Democrats and Scholz, which led the government for 16 years under former Chancellor Angela Merkel, despite NATO allies warning that Germany was not fulfilling its obligations.
Britain urges NATO allies to pay their ‘fair share’ https://t.co/TqekzOWhRL pic.twitter.com/bIOYzT1bmy
– Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) 12 November 2016
Some details have emerged on how the money will be spent, according to the AP.
The Department of Defense said it will purchase 60 Boeing-made Chinook CH-47F transport helicopters. The government is also looking to purchase up to 35 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets to replace legacy Tornado jets.
The German government also wants to improve the overall equipment of its troops, which have long suffered from a variety of problems, from the lack of night goggles or rifles to the lack of safety vests and inoperative training kits.
Meanwhile, northern German shipyards hope to build five new corvettes, more frigates and a few warships, public broadcaster NDR reported. About 60 percent of the German army helicopters are currently not flying, so an urgent investment is needed here as well.
Source: Breitbart
