German Armed Forces reduced to 150 000?

[Perun]

German army has ammo for only two days of war

...

Stockpiles were further depleted after Germany, together with many other Western countries, began sending weapons and ammunition to Ukraine after Russia launched its military operation in the neighboring state in February.

The deliveries included 53,000 rounds for self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, 21.8 million rounds for firearms, and 50 bunker-buster missiles, according to the German government.

...

https://www.rt.com/news/564341-germany-ammo-shortage-stocks/

 

Which bunker buster missile is this

[urbanoid]

While I don't necessarily doubt it, does some civilised source confirm it?

If it's indeed true, it looks like Germany has to start... well, producing ammunition in greater quantities, it's not like they don't have the know-how.

[Ssnake]

Well, the 35mm AHEAD rounds were freshly produced by Nammo, for a weapon system that is no longer in the inventory. The 50 bunker-busting "missiles" are part of the Panzerfaust 3 delivery. The 20 million 5.56/7.62mm rounds, I suppose, aren't too hard to replace. I'm not the least concerned about these deliveries. I'm concerned about the deliveries we didn't make because we couldn't afford giving them away. The source being RT or not, it is true that Europe doesn't have the capability to donate as much as would be needed. Yes, it's worrying. But the cited examples are not.

[Strannik]

On 10/9/2022 at 2:18 PM, urbanoid said:

While I don't necessarily doubt it, does some civilised source confirm it?

If it's indeed true, it looks like Germany has to start... well, producing ammunition in greater quantities, it's not like they don't have the know-how.

With what energy?

[Ssnake]

1 hour ago, Strannik said:

With what energy?

As usual, you're completely detached from reality. Yes, energy prices have gone up, but I'm still waiting for the rolling blackouts to materialize, or an actual gas shortage being announced officially (with the resulting rationing of natural gas in order of identified priorities).

It is all wishful thinking on your part.

[urbanoid]

1 hour ago, Strannik said:

With what energy?

Coal, nuclear, green, gas from other sources - and their gas storage is almost full btw, way before it was initially expected. 

[BansheeOne]

On 4/10/2022 at 9:51 AM, WRW said:

What is the theoretical AD structure - AB batteries within artillery battalions?

There's finally some information on this. The first step is on the Luftwaffe side and possibly intended to replace the Ozelots they took over from Heer air defense artillery when that branch was disbanded. This calls for four firing units, each of one medium-range and two short-range platoons, each platoon of one command and three launch vehicles. Industry is offering IRIS-T SLM and SLS on GDELS Eagle 6x6 (already in Bundeswehr service as a medium protected ambulance) respectively. The selection was expected to happen this year, but there is some worry as decisions for projects under the 100 billion program have lagged behind plans so far.

A tender for actual mobile air defense was originally planned for 2026. The plan is for ten firing units (attached to the brigade and divisional artillery battalions), each possibly of a command and six effector vehicles. Those might be Skyranger Boxers with a mix of guns, missiles and lasers.

[BansheeOne]

Supplementally to the above, there is also a program for laser systems which became a Marine project and was just successfully tested against a UAV aboard frigate "Sachsen".

 

[BansheeOne]

On 3/22/2021 at 10:34 AM, BansheeOne said:

Not the Bundeswehr rather than Bundespolizei: Federal Police plans to procure 40-44 new helicopters to replace both its 19 Airbus (ex Eurocopter EC) H155 and 22 AS 332 L1 Super Pumas; some of the latter are about 30 years old and in 2019 had a availability rate of just 55 percent. The order would be worth about 1.8 billion Euro over the next ten years. They are looking at either new Super Pumas (presumably the EC/H225), the Airbus H175, or possibly the Leonardo (ex AgustaWestland AW) 189. Bell has also announced to compete with its 525 Relentless, but it's still not certified by FAA, and of course also NIH.

Federal Police additionally operate 22 EC/H135, in part under Germany's extensive national rescue helicopter network, and eight EC120 for training.

The choice seems now down to the H225 or Sikorsky S-92, and it's widely suspected the latter is just a token competitor because again, NIH. Bell had aggressively marketed their 525, but is apparently out.

[BansheeOne]

Well the 100-billion program seems to have hit its first reality wall after criticism of lax budget writing by the Federal Court of Auditors. Replacement for Fuchs utility variants is reportedly called off for now, while expenditures for mobile air defense have been cut in half. The IDAS sub-launched light missile also will finish development, but not be procured for now. The Marine suffers severe additional project cuts, too, which I guess reflects that the naval dimension of the current threat is the least worrisome, at least for Germany:

- no budget for replacement of the first K130 batch;

- no activation of option for fifth and sixth F126;

- eight rather than twelve P-8.

Technically, those projects are merely out of the special funds and could still be paid from the regular defense budget. But with the official position that the former will merely top up the latter to reach the two-percent GDP target, there's slim chances of that within the planned timeframe of the next four years, unless Putin rides a bear to the Polish border or similar.

Edited October 28, 2022 by BansheeOne

[TrustMe]

Does Germany still have a problems with it's T-212 subs? I read somewhere that their were problems with the AIP system.

Edited October 28, 2022 by TrustMe

[BansheeOne]

Never heard that. U 35 and 36 were delayed to commission due to problems with the main shaft, batteries, radar and comms buoy, and the entire fleet has been hampered by the same penny-pinching in spare part procurement which has plagued the whole Bundeswehr for years; notoriously, at one point not a single boat was ready to sortie. The most critical problem though may have been that the extractor hood in the pantry was found to be too small with the fumes when grilling sausages. 😄

Apropos of submarines, a correction to my previous post: the deleted naval air defense system is not the just-tested laser, but the IDAS sub-launched light missile. Replacement for the first K130 batch may actually be paid from the regular defense budget, but in smaller numbers. This doesn't affect the second batch which are already laid down and planned to commision from 2025.

[seahawk]

On 10/27/2022 at 3:43 PM, BansheeOne said:

The choice seems now down to the H225 or Sikorsky S-92, and it's widely suspected the latter is just a token competitor because again, NIH. Bell had aggressively marketed their 525, but is apparently out.

H225 would not be the worst choice. They now the Super Puma and the H225 is tested and has shown to work with many users.

[Mighty_Zuk]

US reportedly green-lights Israeli sale of Arrow 3 to Germany.

https://www.kan.org.il/Item/?itemId=137457

[BansheeOne]

On 7/15/2022 at 7:02 PM, BansheeOne said:

Rheinmetall states that 111 Pumas will be ordered. The MoD will only confirm that the decision to procure has been made, but that the exact number is subject to plans for the exact coming organization being finalized.

Per a ministry report, the second lot will actually be just 50 Pumas; i. e., another battalion. Supposedly that means more Boxer IFVs instead.

In other news, 140 missiles of an unspecified type will arm the Bundeswehr's Israeli-leased Heron TP UAVs from 2024. The latter will be replaced by 21 Eurodrones from 2032.

[BansheeOne]

Well in the year's last session week the Bundestag's budget committee finally got around to taking up some of the slack and authorize eight items worth 13 billion out of the special funds, including:

- The F-35 buy (this got some flak recently as the exact price is actually not yet known) including spare parts, ordnance, and adapting infrastructure at Büchel airbase for a total of 8.3 billion; the contract was signed immediately afterwards. Delivery expected between 2026 and 2029.

- 20,000 digital radio sets worth 1.35 billion to be procured over the next 15 years, plus options for another 14,000 mostly for command posts adding another 1.52 billion.

- Upgrading another 143 Pumas to "VJTF" standard for 830 million.

- 140 all-terrain vehicles to replace Bv206 for 552 million; looks like this will be the Bv410 under the four-national Collaborative All-Terrain Vehicle program. Another 210 for 870 million more a planned to be authorized separately.

- Up to nearly 119,000 HK416 rifles worth 273 million as a first batch to replace the G36.

- 14 additional platoon sets of personal radios for the "Infantryman of the Future" system with a price tag of 53 million, to be delivered still this year.

[DB]

Anything on increasing inventory of things that actually go bang?

[Mighty_Zuk]

10 hours ago, BansheeOne said:

Upgrading another 143 Pumas to "VJTF" standard for 830 million.

$6.18 million per vehicle, what does this upgrade include? An entire Puma?

[Ssnake]

Integrating the Spike launchers it was "fitted for, but not with", I guess. Imagine how much more costly it would have been had it not been prepared for integration back then.

🤪

[Huba]

Does it include the missiles themselves? That could drive the price up without raising too many eyebrows I guess. Otherwise you could be buying entire tank destroyers ;D

[Ssnake]

You may be on to somethihg... a Spike missile is what, 150,000.- Euros?

That'd make it some 215 million for a stock of 10 missiles per vehicle, roughly a quarter of the budget.

[alejandro_]

20 hours ago, BansheeOne said:

- Up to nearly 119,000 HK416 rifles worth 273 million as a first batch to replace the G36.

I assume this confirms that the other candidate that initially won (Haenel MK 556) is definitely dropped out?

[Mighty_Zuk]

7 hours ago, Ssnake said:

You may be on to somethihg... a Spike missile is what, 150,000.- Euros?

That'd make it some 215 million for a stock of 10 missiles per vehicle, roughly a quarter of the budget.

When did it grow to 150k Euros? That's more than an NLOS used to cost Israel in 2010's prices.

[BansheeOne]

I think any suits on the rifle issue are through. Since the HK416 has already been introduced with thr KSK as the G95K "assault rifle special forces", the general versions will be the G95A1 and G95KA1.

The upgrades on Puma are not just integration of Spike but ... well, basically making the vehicle work as advertized in the first place, which involves modifications of sensors and software updates. Supposedly there were stabilization problems with the turret, though I'm not sure if that literally meant the stabilization system or system stability. Also I think there were integration issues with the "Infantryman of the Future" system.

Speaking of Spike, the first Wiesels upgraded from TOW are reportedly back in service.

[TrustMe]

US troops in Afghanstan used Javelin's to use them to keep the Taliban "Heads down" in firefights as they didn't have any other weapon. Each Javelin used to cost around 50.000$ 10 years ago.   

Edited December 15, 2022 by TrustMe