During a surprise visit to Ukraine by the German Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius, he pledged another military aid package worth around €500 million to Ukraine to show that Germany stands firmly on Ukraine’s side.
A large number of IRIS-T SL missiles and a small number of IRIS-T missiles which are being launched by the IRIS-T SLM air defence systems and IRIS-T SLS launchers supplied by Germany make up a large part of the new package.
This is urgently needed to support Ukraine’s air defence, as it is known that Ukraine has nowhere near enough missiles, especially when it comes to IRIS-T SLM of which Germany has supplied three to Ukraine so far.
Also included are reconnaissance drones, drones for the “Battle in the Black Sea”, as well as various spare parts such as PzH 2000 barrels and engines for the Leopard 2 MBTs.
Interestingly, Rheinmetall had announced just a few days earlier that a European customer country had ordered a three-digit number of L52 gun barrel systems for the PzH 2000. The order is worth a three-digit million euro sum.
If this is not a coincidence, the gun barrels will be delivered within the next five years, starting this year. It is also unclear whether all the gun barrels are destined for Ukraine or whether some are earmarked for the Bundeswehr.
The package also includes one million rounds of firearm ammunition, as well as funds for interference-proof satellite communications.
An interesting detail is that Germany is contributing €19 million for the refurbishment, maintenance, and repair of the 19 Leopard 2A4s that Spain announced earlier this year. In total, Germany is therefore contributing €1 million per Spanish Leopard 2A4 to assist with the delivery.
According to the German Minister of Defence, the AFU also has a high demand for additional precision rifles of a certain type. Hundreds of precision rifles will therefore be delivered to Ukraine in the coming days. A new contract for 100 additional ones has also been initiated.
Although the type of these precision rifles has not been disclosed, they are likely to be HLR 338s. The German government has already supported the Ukrainian armed forces with 145 of these precision rifles and has pledged to supply a further 355 in the future.
Pistorius has also announced 18 newly produced wheeled self-propelled howitzers, which will be delivered starting in 2025. However, these are almost certainly the 18 RCH 155s already pledged in 2022, so this is not a new commitment.
It is also known that Germany has purchased three M142 HIMARS MLRS from US stocks for Ukraine. As Pistorius announced, these will also be delivered in the next few days.
Setting the course for a long-lasting war
At his press conference in Odesa, the German Minister of Defence pointed out that it is not just a matter of Germany right now supplying everything that is available, but that particular importance is placed on sustainability.
This is why orders have been placed that will not be delivered until the upcoming years, as the German Ministry of Defence assumes that it is important to set the course now to be prepared for a long-lasting war.
Good examples of these orders are IRIS-T SLM, RCH 155 and PzH 2000. The delivery of the air defence systems and self-propelled howitzers mentioned above is ongoing and is planned until at least the end of 2027.
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