DAccording to information from the FAZ, the Ministry of Defense wants to make the selection decision on a future transport helicopter on Wednesday. According to the information, after years of delays and an aborted tender, around 60 Chinook CH47 helicopters are now to be procured. Since the Bundeswehr largely dispenses with special requests with this order, the first models could be delivered in four to five years.
The previous CH53 transport helicopter was introduced to the Bundeswehr in the early 1970s. The cost of the new acquisition is likely to be more than five billion euros and is to be covered by funds from the planned special fund for the Bundeswehr.
After the agreement on this investment fund, the Bundestag is to pass the agreed amendment to the Basic Law this week. In addition to the votes of the traffic light coalition, approval from the Union faction is also required. Immediately after the vote on Friday, the Federal Council should also approve the special budget of 100 billion euros. This was announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) after the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the end of February.
“One time exception”
However, it took a long time before a joint draft was negotiated, both within the coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP and in negotiations with the opposition. The parliamentary director of the FDP parliamentary group, Johannes Vogel, said on Tuesday that from Friday the “special fund would be a reality and can be implemented”. According to the agency, the budget committee is to deal with the 100 billion euro package as early as Wednesday morning Bundeswehr should be operational again after years of savings.
The economic plan should also contain a list of armaments that are to be purchased with the money in the coming years. The CSU politician Alexander Dobrindt spoke of the “entire range” of material that was necessary, aircraft, ships and tanks. According to expert assessments, the army in particular lacks clout. Modern battle tanks are only available in small numbers, there is no anti-aircraft defense, nor are there any armed drones, and there are only enough ammunition supplies for a few days of combat.
In addition, the project “Digitization of the Land Forces” is years behind the modernization plan, larger parts of the already poorly equipped army units are only temporarily integrated into the communication channels of the NATO alliance and are managed with analogue technology. Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) said on ZDF that the special fund should be a “one-off exception” and that the debt brake must be complied with again in 2023.
According to the reservists’ association, the planned 100 billion euros will not be enough to cover the investment needs of the armed forces. The former CDU MP and association chairman Patrick Sensburg told the “Handelsblatt” that around 300 billion would be needed “if we want to have an efficient squad again”.