Germany now also wants to deliver heavy weapons to Ukraine. First of all, the armaments industry is preparing the anti-aircraft tank “Gepard” for use against Russia. After the clear vote in the Bundestag, more tanks and howitzers are under discussion.
Germany hesitated for a long time, but this week the green light was given: Ukraine should get heavy weapons. Even before the Bundestag had voted overwhelmingly in favor of handing over heavy weapons, Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht had already announced the launch of the “Gepard” anti-aircraft tanks. “This is exactly what Ukraine needs to protect its airspace from the ground,” the SPD politician said Tuesday on the sidelines of a weapons summit at the American military base Ramstein in Rhineland-Palatinate.
The “cheetah” is the first heavy weapon to be delivered directly from Germany to Ukraine. But not from the Bundeswehr, but from industrial stocks. Weapons maker Krauss-Maffei Wegmann has a double-digit average number of technically refurbished “cheetahs” from old Bundeswehr stockpiles, which it modernized after being phased out by the Bundeswehr.
“Cheetah” can take down fighter jets and helicopters
At about 48 tons”cheetah” can attack anything that flies from the ground: fighters, helicopters, drones or missiles. Equipped is the anti-aircraft tank with two radar-controlled automatic cannons in 35 mm caliber. Radar sensors should be able to detect targets up to 15 kilometers away day and night, but the range of rapid-fire guns is only about 6 kilometers. The “cheetah” is not a classic tank, but an anti-aircraft system, explained military expert Thomas Wiegold on ntv. “These are anti-aircraft guns mounted on an armored vehicle. This system is designed to shoot down planes and helicopters. It should also be able to be used against drones.”
The turret and cannons can rotate in all directions and, if necessary, attack ground targets. Although they are not designed for this, they are equipped with armor-piercing ammunition special for enemy infantry fighting vehicles. The maximum speed of the “cheetah” is 65 kilometers per hour. With a full tank, you can drive about 550 kilometers.
Anti-aircraft tank “Gepard”.
(Photo: IMAGO/Björn Trotsky)
The Bundeswehr discarded the “cheetah” in 2011 for cost reasons, explains expert Wiegold. “These anti-aircraft guns were sold to Brazil and Qatar. In NATO, they are also in service in Romania, mainly to protect convoys of vehicles from possible air attacks.”
Ammo for “cheetah” is missing
The problem, however, is that the Bundeswehr not only disposed of the “cheetah” itself, but also the accompanying ammunition. The federal government must therefore purchase suitable shares abroad. Brazil, Qatar and Romania, among others, would have received such consultations. Otherwise, Ukraine could do nothing with the “cheetah”, criticized ambassador Andriy Melnyk on ntv.
“Part of the ammunition for these anti-aircraft systems comes from Switzerland. And in recent days, Switzerland has made it clear that it takes its neutrality very seriously and will not release any ammunition that should go to Ukraine,” explains Wiegold. However, the military expert is optimistic: it is “common-sized ammunition that will be available on the world market. It will not fail because of that.”
It’s more about training, because Ukrainian Panzergrenadiers would definitely have to be trained for the “cheetah”, notes Wiegold. Not to direct the anti-aircraft tank, but to be able to operate the radar detection systems.
Industry wants to deliver 100 “marders”.
The same applies to “Martha”. This is on the Ukrainian wish list for German arms deliveries. Of armored personnel carrier has been produced by Düsseldorf-based armaments manufacturer Rheinmetall since the 1960s, and the first vehicles were delivered to the Bundeswehr in 1971.
Infantry fighting vehicle “Marder”.
(Photo: DPA)
Unlike the “Gepard”, it is still used by the Bundeswehr today, although it was gradually replaced by the modern “Puma” infantry fighting vehicle. The “Marder” weighs about 35 tons and is equipped with a 20 mm cannon and a machine gun. On the road, like the “cheetah”, it can reach speeds of up to 65 kilometers per hour. It can travel up to 520 kilometers on a full tank of fuel and the maximum range is 260 kilometers off-road.
Rheinmetall wants to process 100 deactivated “Marder”. The first 20 should be operational in six to eight weeks and delivered to Ukraine. The federal government still needs to approve the sale.
Whether the “martens” will help Ukraine immediately is at least a matter of debate. Ukrainian soldiers are not familiar with the tank and would have to be trained first.
Ammo is also missing for “Leopard”.
Main battle tank “Leopard 1”.
(Photo: IMAGO/Sven Eckelkamp)
Like the “marder”, the “leopard 1″ from the 1960s. He was the first main battle tank, which was built in the young Federal Republic after the Second World War. The “Leopard 1” has a large on-board cannon with a caliber of 105 millimeters. Unlike the “Marder”, the device, which weighed over 40 tons, became an export success. 4700 models were sold to 13 countries on five continents.
The company Rheinmetall recently announced that it could send 88 “Leopard-1” to Ukraine through a subsidiary. The first in a few weeks, provided the federal government gives the go-ahead. Unlike the “Marder”, Ukrainian soldiers should also be able to use the main battle tank faster. If Germany can supply the appropriate ammunition.
“The ‘Leopard 1’ has been out of service with the Bundeswehr for quite some time and is therefore not state-of-the-art,” says Wiegold. You have to see where you can get the necessary ammo on the world market. “I see a bigger question mark in ‘Leopard 1’ than in ‘Gepard’.”
Main battle tank “Leopard 2”.
(Photo: alliance/dpa photo)
The adapted “Leopard 1” is still used by various armies today, but the Bundeswehr retired the model in 2003 and replaced it with the “Leopard 2”. The turn requires different ammo than its predecessor.
Of “leopard 2″ it is the current main battle tank of the Bundeswehr. Like the “Leopard 1”, it is an export success. According to Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, more than 3,500 units have been built and used in nearly 20 countries.
The tank weighs about 60 tons and is armed with a 120 mm cannon. It can hit targets up to five kilometers away and travel at speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour. With its tank, the “Leopard 2” can travel about 500 kilometers, off-road is a maximum of 160 kilometers.
Defense company wants to deliver 100 shells
Howitzer 2000.
(Photo: picture Alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild)
The Howitzer 2000 According to the Bundeswehr, it can shoot targets up to 40 kilometers away with its 155 mm caliber cannon. The 55-ton device has a range of 420 kilometers with its 1,000-liter tank, the top speed is 60 kilometers per hour and off-road is still 45 kilometers per hour.
The Bundeswehr used the Panzerhaubitze 2000 in Afghanistan, among other places. According to “Welt”, the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann weapons company applied for permission to sell 100 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.
“Fox” and “Boxer” in gun wish list
Tank with “Fox” wheels.
(Photo: alliance/dpa photo)
It is possible that a Bundeswehr all-rounder will also be delivered to Ukraine. Of “Fuchs” wheeled tank it was initially designed as a pure armored vehicle, but is now considered to be extremely flexible in military use because it is very mobile and offers a high level of protection. The “fox” can drive almost 100 kilometers per hour. With a full tank of fuel, it travels a distance of about 800 kilometers on road and a maximum of 400 kilometers off road.
About as fast and far as he can Armor with wheels “Boxer” drive, the second flexible device in service with the Bundeswehr. Equipped with attachable mission modules, it can be used as transport, medical or protective armor, for example. This is probably why two-wheeled tanks were on Ukraine’s weapons list, according to the newspaper “Bild”.
Tank with “Boxer” wheels.
(Photo: alliance/dpa photo)
In addition, at that time the main battle tank “Leopard 2” and the armored vehicles “Marder” and “Puma” the speech. It is the most modern German tank and a direct successor to the “Marder” – but in all likelihood it will not be sent to Ukraine. Of the 350 “Puma” in Germany, only 150 are currently operational, Defense Minister Lambrecht announced this week.
Germany trusts in ring exchange
Instead, as of now, the federal government is relying more and more on the so-called ring exchange. Other NATO partners, such as Slovenia or the Czech Republic, supply Soviet-made armored vehicles to Ukraine, and Germany replenishes the NATO partners’ stockpiles with German-made tanks. “This exchange of rings would ensure that deliveries could be made quickly and, above all, no training is required. That’s what Ukraine needs now,” says Christine Lambrecht.
The Defense Minister had recently pointed out repeatedly that the Bundeswehr’s stockpiles were almost exhausted. Bundeswehr Inspector General Markus Laubenthal also recently told the ZDF that the Bundeswehr could not deliver heavy weapons. Otherwise, it would no longer be possible to adequately fulfill obligations to NATO and the EU. But there are other voices too. Former General Hans-Lothar Domröse, for example, said in the WDR that the Bundeswehr could very well give something away because replacements could be found in a relatively short time.
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