An important military exercise of the Bundeswehr has shown that the infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) Puma has gradually lost its combat readiness. In contrast, the Leopard 2 tanks, which were reportedly being considered for transfer to Ukraine, showed very high combat capability.
German army [Bundeswehr] Task forces carried out important ground exercises in Münster, Lower Saxony. Two divisions took part in the exercises – one with Leopard 2 main battle tanks (MBTs) and the other with Puma infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), German publication Der Spiegel reported.
The publication cited a letter from the commander of the 10th Armored Brigade, Major General Ruprecht von Butler, to the German Army, in which he expressed concern about the performance of Puma infantry fighting vehicles.
The general noted that 18 of the 20 Pumas had 0% combat readiness on the eighth day of the exercise. In addition, the last two vehicles showed significant turret problems on the day the field shots were scheduled.
Puma infantry fighting vehicle – Wikipedia
The vehicles are slated to take part in next year’s premier NATO task force, the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, which has rocked the Department of Defense.
Although troops were aware of the Puma’s reputation for unreliability, von Butler explained in his letter to the Department of Defense that such technical problems “have never been more common” than recent testing has shown.
Not only that, one tank had even experienced a cable fire in the driver’s cab during the most recent round of breakdowns. Germany has a fleet of 350 Puma infantry fighting vehicles and received funding for 229 more following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to the report, the general called on the Federal Ministry of Defense to replace the Pumas assigned to the task force with the more reliable but more powerful Marder infantry fighting vehicle “until further notice”.
However, the tank on which the Ukrainians caught their eye, that is, the Leopard-2 MBT, showed excellent performance. The general wrote that the Leopard 2 tanks were well prepared for battle.
During the exercises, the tanks reached 80 to 90 percent combat readiness. The general noted that there had been problems, but service teams were working nights to fix them.
Ukraine wants German tanks to fight Russia
In its attempts to regain territory in the south and east of the country, Ukraine has repeatedly asked for modern main battle tanks. Berlin has so far rejected these demands on the grounds that no other ally has previously supplied main battle tanks produced in the West.
Germany has delivered 30 decommissioned Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, 10 Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers and three MARS multiple rocket launchers to Ukraine since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Berlin has also been involved in armaments deals with non-NATO countries. For example, Germany sent the first six of 40 Marders to Greece, after which Greece sent more tanks to Ukraine.
Recently, officials in Ukraine have stepped up bids for Germany’s Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) and Leopard 2 tanks to bolster its combat capability.
Previously, reports indicated that Rheinmetall was ready to ship the Marders to Ukraine. However, given Puma’s stunning performance, the Marder’s transfer could face another administrative obstacle.
Marder (IFV) – Wikipedia
Earlier this month, the head of the German Bundestag’s Defense Committee confirmed in a tweet that the US had given the country the green light to transfer the MBTs. “This was reaffirmed to me in all my discussions with the State Department, Congress and Senate during my visit to Washington,” she wrote on Twitter.
According to a claim by German media outlet FAZ, Germany could supply Ukraine with up to 80 Leopard 2 tanks from its stocks at Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. Additionally, Russian-made tanks from Ukrainian stocks could replace the other 30 units serving as simulated targets at the Bundeswehr Combat Training Center.
Since the beginning of the war, Germany has hesitated and resisted calls to supply Ukraine with state-of-the-art weapons. Chancellor Olaf Scholz reportedly refused, according to an article in the German newspaper Welt on June 6.
In October, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated that supplying tanks was not a top priority for Germany and that Ukraine’s primary need for military equipment was air defence. Berlin therefore supplied Kyiv with the IRIS-T air defense systems while holding back on ordering Leopard 2 tanks.
Demands have recently been renewed, and the issue has gained significant traction since receiving Washington endorsement. Since Poland, Ukraine’s neighbor, is already using the regular Leopard tank, Gustav Gressel of the European Council on Foreign Relations argued that it would only be logical to equip Ukraine with the Leopard-2.
As the conflict intensifies, there is speculation that the Bundestag will give in to Kiev’s demands. When this happens, Germany will be the first Western nation to supply it with modern main battle tanks. However, a decision on this by the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz is still pending.