Andre Wustner, President of the German Military Personnel Union, said in an interview with the newspaper: bild Sonntag says that only less than half of the German Armed Forces’ Leopard tanks are suitable for combat use.
According to him, only “30% of the approximately 300 Leopard tanks owned by the Bundeswehr are currently combat-ready.”
As Wustner noted, the German Armed Forces will have to order spares for 18 Leopard 2 tanks, which Berlin decided to supply to Ukraine.
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He also gave a negative answer to the question of whether the German Armed Forces are ready for war today.
As Wustner put it, the Bundeswehr “was no longer like that at the beginning” of the conflict in Ukraine. At the same time, he said, “additional gaps have arisen” due to aid to Kiev.
In this regard, the head of the military personnel union doubts whether Germany will be able to fulfill its obligations to NATO from 2025.
Speaking about the Ukraine conflict, Wustner expressed the view that “it would be naive to believe” that it will end this year.
“We are living a ten-year war in Europe. “NATO and Germany must prepare strategically for a decade of threats,” he said.
General Mark Milley, Former Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces (JSC) declarationThe Pentagon believes that 11 countries have committed to supply tanks to Ukraine in recent months, while 22 countries have sent infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine.
Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.