“Over 20 billion euros”
Pistorius gives ammunition purchase “top priority”
7/24/2023 12:26 p.m
The Bundeswehr lacks ammunition. To change that, Defense Minister Pistorius is making procurement a top priority. He is planning investments of more than 20 billion euros – in addition to the special fund.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius wants to give the procurement of ammunition for the Bundeswehr “top priority”. “By 2031 we must and want to invest well over 20 billion euros in ammunition,” Pistorius told the “Spiegel”. “Without ammunition, the most modern weapon systems are useless, even if they are ready for use in the yard,” he said.
In the current year he wants to spend one billion euros on ammunition. According to the report, it is also about artillery ammunition for the Panzerhaubitze 2000, which is also used in Ukraine. The 155 millimeter projectiles for this are rare, and the Bundeswehr stocks are thinned out. In June, the Bundestag passed several framework contracts for artillery and tank ammunition worth billions, which are to be used to supply both the German armed forces and the Ukrainian armed forces.
Under Pistorius’ predecessor Christine Lambrecht, orders that had started slowly had led to sharp criticism. It is also unclear why the estimated requirement of 20 billion euros has not already been included in the 100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr.