Germany funds seven defence projects

The Bundestag budget committee has approved the procurement of GEM-Ts (photo of German Patriots deployed to Sliač Air Base in Slovakia in March 2022). (Janes/Nicholas Fiorenza)

The budget committee of the Bundestag, Germany's parliament, approved funding of seven defence projects on 10 September, Germany's Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg) announced on its website on 15 September. The projects are for the procurement of more Patriot missiles and conversion kits for their launchers, additional Heron TP medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft systems, Patria 6×6 vehicles, and Leopard 2A7 main battle tank (MBT) simulators, as well as IT and medical containers.

The committee approved the immediate procurement of the Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T), accessories, and spare parts to replace missiles sent to Ukraine. In addition, the Bundestag budget committee approved EUR114 million (USD134 million) of funding to pay for the US Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of M903 conversion kits so Patriot launchers ordered in 2024 can fire Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhanced (MSE). The BMVg expected the PAC-3 MSE missiles to increase the Bundeswehr's anti-ballistic missile capabilities.

Funding was also approved for the serial production of the first Patria 6×6 engineer vehicle, including integrated verification and adaptations for German requirements. This includes the integration of a digital communication system; night-fighting capabilities; and a nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) protection ventilation system. The BMVg expected a contract for the series delivery of the variant soon, with financing provided by the Sondervermögen Bundeswehr special fund approved after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.