Because Switzerland is reluctant
Germany produces cheetah ammunition for Ukraine
02/14/2023, 11:45 am
The cheetah has been helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia for months. But the ammunition is getting scarcer – and new ones are difficult to obtain because the Bundeswehr has retired the anti-aircraft tank and Switzerland is not delivering. Production is now being ramped up again.
According to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Germany will resume the production of ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft vehicle. “The contracts for the production of cheetah ammunition have been signed,” Pistorius said before the NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels. The ammunition is produced by the armaments company Rheinmetall – and “immediately”.
The SPD politician emphasized that the decision was also taken in order not to be dependent on Switzerland. The Swiss government has so far refused to allow ammunition from domestic production for the Gepard tanks supplied by Germany, citing the country’s neutral status. Pistorius appealed to the German armaments industry to increase production capacities.
Cheetah provides “outstanding service” in drone defense
Like the SZ learned, it should be about 300,000 shots, which are to be delivered to Ukraine from July. According to information from the newspaper, Ukraine has had to make do with the 60,000 rounds it received from Germany and other stocks. Of these, a good 30,000 had already been used up by January.
The cheetah was phased out by the Bundeswehr more than ten years ago for cost reasons and has been developed since the 1970s to defend against low-flying aircraft and helicopters. For a long time it was the backbone of the German army’s anti-aircraft defence. “He does excellent service, especially in drone defense,” said Pistorius. The cheetah is greatly appreciated by the Ukrainian soldiers he was able to talk to during his visit to the country.
In total, Germany made 37 of the tanks available to Ukraine. The defense minister is now also working to buy back 15 cheetahs and ammunition from Qatar to provide further aid.