Chatulio

21st May 2015 - 04:14 AM

Hello Adler,

certainly that was alright, as that is a primary concern for the Peshmerga as well.
Overall, most has been said in the Peshmerga-thread and has to be posted there as well so that more persons on the forums see it (like inventories of the next supply flights once they are posted by the Bundeswehr).


With best regards,

Chatulio

kurdo82

21st May 2015 - 04:44 AM

the german military is not able to procure the newest version of the Leopard II out of budget concerns, i believe sadi arabia bought the newest version

Chatulio

21st May 2015 - 05:02 AM

Hello Kurdo82,

I agree that the state of the german military is ... mildly put, greatly underfunded, greatly understaffed and greatly underpaid and the military administration (from generals to the procurement office) act in very ... intransparent and inept ways and I'm impressed what the soldiers still get done despite all the high-level failures.

Especially the procurement office is an immense bureaucratic dinosaur that still can't manage to organize a law-expert to assist in negotiations with the arms industry (who shamelessly abuse this ineptitude of the procurement office, of course).

With luck, the crisis situation at the moment enforces a healthy reformation.
What it already did was halting the disarmament policies while their was still a military to speak of.

Politically, it is a matter of public opinion and budget cuts in the military budget were always the way to save money without negative voter impact. If the public opinion shifts, I think it does in the new generations, then politicians can't cut into the military budget that easily again and the current threat-situation gives plenty of arguments for the Ministry of Defense to request more money from the federal budget. I'm glad that the current minister at least does something in that regard.


With best regards,

Chatulio

Chatulio

21st May 2015 - 05:22 AM

Hello Adler,

at least we didn't go as far as the Netherlands or the UK, the later having closed down its tank production lines (as far as I know), so the know-how also slowly disappears and the Netherlands have (again as far as I've read in the news a few years back) disbanded their tank troops, again with dissipation of know-how, that takes time to recover.
The situation of the german military is not beyond the point-of-no-return and the current sitaution was in all likelyhood a very necessary wake-up call.
And despite the current state of affairs, the Bundeswehr manages being the most important foreign supplier of the Peshmerga, supplying what they still have in reserve. This support might also help the Bundeswehr as well, helping to shake off the dust of the past disarmaments and further stress the needs for new equipment and funding.


With best regards,

Chatulio

Chatulio

21st May 2015 - 05:51 AM

Hello Adler,

so far she seems to do a well enough job (clearing off more dust than both previous ministers taken together), and people should slowly stop underestimating her. The task is huge and the administration and military command staff are, to some degree, against her and her efforts. It's nothing that can be done over night, but she seems to be on a good path.

The lack of national service means, of course, that the military has to offer conditions worth accepting for capable young people. At least the military uses female soldiers fully now too, letting them contribute as well and thus boost the numbers of available candidates.
An advantage might be that the soldiers who have signed on have more interest in it than soldiers on national service and as they stay longer, gathering more experience, which could make them more useful on missions and thus generally improve average quality and readiness of the german military.


With best regards,

Chatulio

Chatulio

21st May 2015 - 06:06 AM

Hello Adler,

no, but those who can deal with that can get through the drilling phase.
Those suitable to military service can and will manage. After all, even in the last years of national service, the military had to work with voluntary soldiers for most tasks and it seems to go well enough so far.
And it's not like the german military is the first all voluntary military in the world and I don't hear anything about US drill seargants getting less loud.


With best regards,

Chatulio

Chatulio

21st May 2015 - 06:23 AM

Hello Adler,

perhaps the G36 'scandal' can be used to beat some dust off from the procurement office as it seems it was their 'fault' to buy the G36 despite knowing it's not made for auto-fire (the also offered MG36 had that capability after all, being insignificantly heavier and more expensive). And it could be used to argue for more money to refit the G36 or obtain an even better assault rifle (like the HK416).


With best regards,

Chatulio

kurdo82

21st May 2015 - 06:24 AM

The HK 416 would be an optimal choice

Chatulio

21st May 2015 - 06:41 AM

Hello Adler,

it seems to me that either a refitt of the G36 to MG36 standard and/or a replacement with the HK 416 are the more likely alternatives that can also be done both (first the refit and over time the replacement).

As far the bashing of H&K goes, it has certainly gone somewhat out of hand, but may have been also intended to beat more dust off the procurement office (seeing some had to quit their jobs there after it came to light how tightly intertwined they were with a private company).
With a refit and/or replacement from H&K, the reputation of H&K should be restored.


With best regards,

Chatulio

Chatulio

21st May 2015 - 07:00 AM

Hello Adler,

I'd suspect that a refit to MG36 standard would be the first step, but von der Leyen has stated that, after a quick fix, she wants a proper replacement over the next years and for that the HK 416 would be the best candidate.


With best regards,

Chatulio