New production facilities planned: military commissioner demands 300 billion for the troops

New production facilities planned
Military Commissioner demands 300 billion for the troops

With a 100 billion special fund, the Bundeswehr is to be strengthened again after years of austerity. This is not enough for the military commissioner Högl. It calls for a significant increase and new production capacities. She is not alone in her claim.

In view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the Bundestag Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Högl, is calling for this Special assets for the Bundeswehr to triple from today’s 100 billion to 300 billion euros. The SPD politician also told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper” that further support for Ukraine with weapons and ammunition would “not work without new production capacities”.

According to Högl, it would take 300 billion euros to make significant changes in the Bundeswehr. “That doesn’t seem to be out of thin air to me.” According to her, at least 20 billion euros are needed for the procurement of ammunition alone. “New frigates, tanks or F-35 fighter jets also cost billions, and we haven’t talked about personnel costs, energy-efficient building renovation, the necessary 50 billion euros in infrastructure investments, nor about inflation.”

The Commissioner for the Armed Forces is being discussed as a possible successor in the event that Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht of the SPD resigns. She received support from defense experts from the Greens and FDP. Anyone who wants peace must “also invest in security,” said Green Party politician Sara Nanni in the FAS. The chairwoman of the defense committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann from the FDP, referred to supply problems with ammunition from Switzerland and concluded: “Ammunition production belongs in one of the NATO countries or in Germany.”

The background to this are corresponding demands from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. “Production must be ramped up to replenish the Allies’ supplies and to ensure that we can continue to supply Ukraine for a long time,” he also demanded in the FAS. Stoltenberg pointed out that Ukraine was using “an enormous amount of ammunition” in defense against the Russian war of aggression. NATO is therefore demanding the construction of completely new armaments factories.

Rheinmetall expands capacities

According to the report, the Düsseldorf-based armaments group Rheinmetall is already implementing this. According to the FAS, the company wants to announce the construction of a new ammunition plant in Varpalota, Hungary, next week. From 2024 onwards, 30-millimeter ammunition is to be manufactured there. Another plant is being built in Unterlüss, Lower Saxony.

“We use all opportunities to further expand capacities, for example by introducing two- or three-shift models and hiring new employees,” Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger told the newspaper. “We ask politicians for planning security with regard to future procurements, so that we can tackle large-volume investments in good time.”

This is also supported by the defense politicians of the coalition. The manufacturers needed “a binding commitment that the products will be financed and accepted,” said Högl. The FAS quoted Nanni as saying that “binding orders – no appeals” were needed. No one can “expect the industry to produce ammunition for stock, along the lines of: it will be removed,” said Strack-Zimmermann.

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