Germany approves €175 million investment package

While it prepares to finalise the German defence budget for 2021 on 26 November, the budget committee of the German Parliament has approved investment of €175 million ($208 million) on improving the Bundeswehr’s wide-area network, ammunition for the Leopard 2 MBT and upgraded heavyweight torpedoes for submarines.

Outdated components of the Atlas Elektronik DM2A4 Seehecht heavyweight torpedo (pictured) are being phased out, and test devices must also be upgraded. As a result, the German Navy is buying 69 conversion kits at a cost of about €31 million.

DM-2A4 (sold abroad as SeaHake Mod 4) was introduced by the German Navy in 2004. The torpedo is the main armament of the Type 212A submarine class and it is now in service with eight countries with more than 300 torpedoes having been delivered, according to Shephard Defence Insight.

Meanwhile, the Bundeswehr expects to conclude a €27 million binding order and framework agreement until 2028 for production and delivery of three types of ammunition for the Leopard 2. This order includes practice ammunition, the German MoD noted on 20 November.

IT investment of about €117 million covers a renewal of German military network infrastructure to develop a ‘future-oriented’ solution, provided by the Bundeswehr’s in-house software division BWI by 2027.

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