Latest news with #Bundeswehr
Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Germany prepares huge orders for jets, armored vehicles, sources say
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: A Boxer armoured transport vehicle manoeuvres on the day arms manufacturer Rheinmetall hands the first one over to the German armed forces Bundeswehr, in Unterluess, Germany, May 2, 2024. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/File Photo BERLIN - Germany is preparing a wave of multi-billion-euro procurement orders, including 20 Eurofighter jets, up to 3,000 Boxer armoured vehicles, and as many as 3,500 Patria infantry fighting vehicles, two sources familiar with the plans told Reuters. The purchases are part of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's push to build Europe's most powerful conventional army, aiming to reduce reliance on an increasingly unpredictable ally, the United States, and take greater responsibility for European security. Earlier this year, Merz secured the parliamentary backing needed to exempt defence spending from Germany's constitutionally enshrined debt limits, enabling his government to finance the military overhaul. Germany's regular defence budget is projected to rise to around 83 billion euro ($95.8 billion) in 2026, up by 20 billion from 2025. The Eurofighter order alone is expected to cost between 4 billion and 5 billion euro, the sources said, while the Boxer vehicles — built by KNDS and Rheinmetall — are estimated at 10 billion euro. The Patria vehicles are seen costing roughly 7 billion euro. Deliveries of the Boxer and Patria platforms are expected over the next 10 years, according to the sources. The defence ministry is also advancing plans to purchase more IRIS-T air defence systems and several hundred SkyRanger drone defence platforms, the sources said, noting that financial details for those acquisitions have yet to be finalised. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business No clarity yet on baseline or pharmaceutical tariffs with US: DPM Gan Singapore Grace Fu apologises for Tanjong Katong sinkhole, says road may stay closed for a few more days Opinion Nobel Prize? Maybe not, but give Asean credit for Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire Singapore Facts and myths intersect at the National Museum's new glass rotunda installation Singapore Liquidators score victory to recoup over $900 million from alleged scammer Ng Yu Zhi's associates Multimedia Making a splash: Picture-perfect moments from the World Aquatics Championships in S'pore Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore S'pore can and must meaningfully apply tech like AI in a way that creates jobs for locals: PM Wong Bloomberg also reported on the procurement plans, though citing some differing figures. The defence ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Merz has pledged to meet NATO's new benchmark of spending 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2029 - well ahead of most alliance members. But Germany also has more catching up to do. Hours after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the chief of the German army publicly vented his frustration over the long-running neglect of military readiness in his country, saying the Bundeswehr was "standing there more or less empty-handed." REUTERS
Japan Today
17 hours ago
- Business
- Japan Today
Germany prepares huge orders for jets, armored vehicles, sources say
FILE PHOTO: A Boxer armoured transport vehicle manoeuvres on the day arms manufacturer Rheinmetall hands the first one over to the German armed forces Bundeswehr, in Unterluess, Germany, May 2, 2024. By Markus Wacket Germany is preparing a wave of multi-billion-euro procurement orders, including 20 Eurofighter jets, up to 3,000 Boxer armoured vehicles, and as many as 3,500 Patria infantry fighting vehicles, two sources familiar with the plans told Reuters. The purchases are part of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's push to build Europe's most powerful conventional army, aiming to reduce reliance on an increasingly unpredictable ally, the United States, and take greater responsibility for European security. Earlier this year, Merz secured the parliamentary backing needed to exempt defence spending from Germany's constitutionally enshrined debt limits, enabling his government to finance the military overhaul. Germany's regular defence budget is projected to rise to around 83 billion euro ($95.8 billion) in 2026, up by 20 billion from 2025. The Eurofighter order alone is expected to cost between 4 billion and 5 billion euro, the sources said, while the Boxer vehicles — built by KNDS and Rheinmetall — are estimated at 10 billion euro. The Patria vehicles are seen costing roughly 7 billion euro. Deliveries of the Boxer and Patria platforms are expected over the next 10 years, according to the sources. The defence ministry is also advancing plans to purchase more IRIS-T air defence systems and several hundred SkyRanger drone defence platforms, the sources said, noting that financial details for those acquisitions have yet to be finalised. Bloomberg also reported on the procurement plans, though citing some differing figures. The defence ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Merz has pledged to meet NATO's new benchmark of spending 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2029 - well ahead of most alliance members. But Germany also has more catching up to do. Hours after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the chief of the German army publicly vented his frustration over the long-running neglect of military readiness in his country, saying the Bundeswehr was "standing there more or less empty-handed." © (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Germany Readies Military Order For 8,500 Armored Vehicles
Germany is preparing more than 60 military procurement orders for parliamentary approval by the end of this year, including the purchase of 20 Eurofighter jets, as many as 5,000 Boxer armored vehicles and at least 3,500 Patria Oyj armored vehicles, according to people familiar with the matter. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius briefed lawmakers on Monday about the government's priorities to turn Germany's Bundeswehr armed forces into Europe's strongest conventional army, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions are confidential.
Euronews
a day ago
- General
- Euronews
German military helicopter crashes into river in Saxony
A helicopter belonging to the German military crashed into the Mulde River in Saxony on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Air Force said. There are no reports yet about possible deaths or injuries, the Leipzig District Fire Brigade said. The helicopter was reportedly on a training flight and an investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing. According to air traffic control, the helicopter disappeared from radar between 10:00-10:30 am, the local fire brigade said. Paddlers in the river informed police around 11:30 am that they had seen helicopter parts in the water, a police spokesperson said. Federal, state, and water police are currently on scene and divers have also been called in, but emergency crews say accessing the wreck of the helicopter is difficult. Large quantities of kerosene leaked into the river around the site of the wreck, prompting 50 emergency personnel to contain the leak before the salvage operation could begin. The Bundeswehr has set up a restricted military zone around the crash site, a police spokesperson said.
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- General
- Qatar Tribune
March covers 120 kilometres in honour of fallen German soldiers
DPA Potsdam Trekking 120 kilometres to symbolize each German soldier killed on foreign missions since 1955, around 150 soldiers and reservists from across Germany are taking part in a commemorative march this week. The four-day event began on Monday in the north-eastern state of Brandenburg and is set to end on Thursday in Berlin, the Bundeswehr's regional command in Potsdam said. Now in its eighth year, the march is the only major event of its kind in Germany. Each participant wears the name tag of a fallen soldier on their chest. In addition to the 120 kilometres, which represents the 120 Bundeswehr personnel who have died during deployments abroad, an extra 3,429 metres were added to honour those who lost their lives in other service-related circumstances. This year's march coincides with the 70th anniversary of the German Armed Forces, which were founded on November 12, 1955.'Almost everyone taking part here has a special connection to one of the missions,' said Lieutenant Colonel Detlef Schachel. 'It is very important to all of them to be here.' The route leads from the military training area in Kloster Lehnin, passes through the city of Potsdam, and ends at the Bundeswehr Memorial in Berlin.
