German ammo stocks run low, would run out of munition in 2 days
Germany is running out of ammo as it still pushes arms into Ukraine in light of the ongoing war, which has caused it to dip below NATO requirements.
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Ammunition for a howitzer is seen during training at a German army base on a NATO media day in Munster, Germany, May 10, 2022 (Reuters)
Germany is more than unprepared for a prolonged armed conflict due to low-running ammunition stockpiles that would only last for up to two days, German media reported on Monday.
German Parliament defense commissioner Eva Hoegl told Business Insider that her country needed an additional 20 billion euros ($19.4 billion) to acquire enough munitions to meet NATO requirements.
"At the same time, we do not have enough storage capacity. This shows that more efforts need to be taken," she said.
The alliance requires its members to have enough munitions on hand for 30 days of combat, meaning Germany is far off from the required threshold. However, there are no concerns over its standing in the alliance.
There have been reports for months saying the German military was running out of weapons that can be sent to Ukraine, with Kiev still projected to be dependent on defense assistance from Berlin.
Germany is Ukraine's biggest European backer, with Berlin continuing to transfer weaponry to Ukraine that even its own forces do not have.
"We delivered whatever we had: anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems, mines, guns, tons of ammunition, and non-lethal aid. Since then, we've progressed to more intricate and valuable systems," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said previously.
"Self-propelled howitzers, Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, anti-aircraft systems, counter-battery radar," are among the high-value systems sent to Ukraine, which Germany is short on.
At the same time, the federal government has been supplying Ukraine with weaponry from the Bundeswehr arsenal, causing Berlin's need for weapons to surge even further.
Ukraine became the second largest importer of German weapons after Berlin approved the exportation of $584 million worth of weaponry to Ukraine within the first 6 months of 2022.
The European Union, NATO, and allies, including Ukraine and South Korea, accounted for 92% of all approved German arms export deals in the first half of the year - a total of $3.96 billion in agreed contracts.
For German arms-producing firms to sign defense contracts, they require the approval of the German cabinet. The number of concluded contracts, however, does not represent the actual arms supplies made during the said period since the deliveries could only be made after the government's approval and may take place after the reporting period.
