The German newspaper ZDF reported that Germany lacked tanks for the NATO Rapid Reaction Force.
This was according to what the newspaper quotes from an internal German Army document, as the report states: “The German Army is unlikely to fulfill its obligations to (NATO) regarding the International High Readiness Task Force,” as stated in internal documents. tangible problems in the combat readiness of the tank forces of this group.
According to the newspaper, the 393rd Thuringia Tank Battalion, which is part of the NATO Rapid Reaction Force, is required to keep 30 of the 44 tanks on alert in case of an emergency, while the report says that only 20 tanks are combat-ready. in the battalion in February last year, according to the newspaper. According to the readiness factor forecast for July, there will be only 14 tanks. The document states that another tank battalion has been temporarily completed.
The newspaper notes that “nothing was officially reported about tank problems in Thuringia, and the tanks of the 104th battalion are hardly ready for the role of vanguard in NATO.
According to the newspaper, if it were not for bureaucratic tricks, the number of combat vehicles in the battalion would have been less, as the newspaper continues: “The planned maintenance period for the battalion’s tanks was hastily extended from 12 months to 24 months, otherwise 11 more tanks will be classified (Leopard ). 2) Suddenly he is inoperable.
The German army did not comment on the combat readiness of the tanks, but stated that it would continue to fulfill the assigned tasks as part of NATO commitments.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius previously acknowledged that the German army is unable to defend Germany in case of war, as it suffers from a weak material base and a shortage of personnel. According to him, Germany needs to invest more in the modernization of the army. The German newspaper Welt also reported that the 9th Tank Brigade in Münster was suffering from a shortage of NATO tanks, with only 9 tanks out of 44 Leopard 2 tanks and three out of 14 Marder IFVs combat-ready. The reason for this situation is the lack of spare parts and the high cost of maintenance. In addition, the German army would lack night vision devices, grenade launchers, support vehicles, winter uniforms and body armor.
Source: News
