It was traded in exchange for Ukrainian tank support and armament augmentation so that German tank producers could produce the multiple rocket launcher (HIMARS), which the United States dominated the world arms market.
German Leopard tank weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall is ready to significantly increase production of tank and artillery ammunition to meet strong demand from Ukraine and the West, and may begin production of the US Lockheed Martin's HIMARS multiple rocket launcher, the CEO said. Armin Papperger told Reuters.
Reuters reported Paparger's announcement days before a meeting in which the heads of Germany's defense industry were scheduled to meet for the first time with new German defense minister Boris Pistorius.
"At the Munich security meeting, we aim to reach an agreement with Lockheed Martin to begin production of HIMARS (in Germany)," he said, targeting the annual meeting of political and defense leaders in mid-February.
HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System), which is the most popular US weapon in Ukraine, is mainly produced by Lockheed Martin, which makes multiple rocket launchers.
"We have not only the rocket motors, but also the warhead production technology, and we have the trucks to mount the launchers on," he said. said.
Regarding the expansion of the special powder factory for artillery shells, he said, “We are watching the operation of a new powder factory in the German state of Saxony, but the government will need to set a foothold for an investment of 70 to 80 billion euros.” It provides technical know-how. In return, the state gets a share of the factory and the profits it makes."
Regarding the expansion of large-scale arms factories, he said, "This is an investment that the industry itself cannot realize. It is an investment for national security, so a federal state is needed." It is a hindrance, so this powder mill is essential.”
The arms buildup of the Leopard-producing munitions company was openly pursued even before the meeting with Germany's new defense minister.
Regarding the increase in Germany's defense budget, Papelog said: "51 billion euros in the defense budget are not enough to buy everything we need. A special fund of 100 billion euros has already been allocated and has been partially consumed by inflation." sounds like a huge amount, but in reality you need a 300 billion euro package to order everything you need," he told Reuters.
In particular, he said about the '100 billion special fund', "the purchase price of ammunition is not included."
Reuters reported that defense officials said that even in the period before the invasion of Ukraine, Germany was 20 billion euros short of meeting NATO's ammunition stockpile target, and in the pretext of bridging the munitions gap, Paperger (a few days before the meeting with the new defense minister), Paperger had increased Germany's defense budget. pointed out the propulsion.
Even before the war in Ukraine, Germany's defense ministry had already said it was "20 billion euros short" of NATO's ammunition stockpile target.
"What we're doing now is actually war stocking. Last year we pre-financed 600 to 700 million euros," Paperger said, adding that the German military would need to invest an additional 3-4 billion euros per year to close the munitions gap. .
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