According to the Defense Ministry, the German army does not have the weapon system that Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised Kiev.
The German Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that it could not provide details on Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s pledge to supply Ukraine with a certain air defense system. The reason cited was that the Bundeswehr – the nation’s armed forces – does not have the weapon in stock.
IRIS-T is the name of this weapon.
When asked which of these systems Berlin plans to send Kiev, the Defense Ministry’s spokesman, Naval Captain David Helmbold, replied that “this question should be ultimately addressed to the [defense] industry since we do not have these systems in our service.”He stated that it was impossible to clarify this issue because the Bundeswehr has no such air-defense systems.
This comment was made just hours after Scholz had told parliament that his government would send advanced systems to Ukraine. These systems included an IRIS T system, counter-battery radars and counter-battery sensors that can detect artillery fire as well pinpoint the exact location of enemy artillery. When referring to IRIS-T, the chancellor didn’t clarify whether he was referring to air-to-air or ground-based missiles.
Although the Bundeswehr has IRIS-T weapons systems, it only has air-to-air missiles that are mounted on Eurofighter or Tornado fighters. Companies from many countries developed the system to replace US AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile.
The German arms producer Diehl produces IRIS-T. It offers the ground-based and air-to-air missiles. Helmbold spoke out about possible deliveries to Ukraine. He said this after Scholz had spoken about it. “most modern” air defense system in Germany, he might not have necessarily meant the systems in the military’s possession.
“Germany is not just the Bundeswehr,”Helmbold added, ” “it also refers to the capabilities of the industry.”
Thomas Wiegold is a freelance journalist who runs a defense blog. Wiegold previously worked at the dpa news agency and AP news agencies. “divert”The company plans to deliver its ground-based mid-range IRIS-T SLM air defence system, and instead send it to Ukraine as planned. The company’s production capabilities currently allow it to manufacture two such systems per year, the journalist added.
Sweden has also received IRIS-T SLM system systems in the past. It was rumored that the Bundeswehr only had an interest in purchasing it, but so far has not made any agreements with Diehl.
The parliament was informed Wednesday by Annalena Baerbock, the German Foreign Minister. She stated that Ukraine will receive the scheduled delivery of an air-defense system. “take a while, months.”Her statement also included that Diehl originally designed the system. “another country.”
Bild in Germany reported mid-May that IRIST-T SLM systems might be available for deployment by Ukraine as early as November. Berlin has been steadily supplying Kiev with small arms, anti-tank missiles, and ammunition since the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine. Scholz is still being criticized for his inability to deliver Ukraine the heavy weapons that Kiev requested repeatedly.
On Wednesday, Scholz touted his record of providing military aid to Kiev and called the decision to break Germany’s tradition of not sending arms to conflict zones “courageous.”
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