"Germany's military, the Bundeswehr, is currently on a spending spree: it has more than 108 billion ($129 billion) at their disposal this year a gigantic, unprecedented sum. This is being financed both by the official federal budget and special funds, for which the state is taking out loans. This money is intended to make the Bundeswehr, which has been subject to decades of cutbacks, more powerful and modern. There is also time pressure."
"The Bundeswehr has long steered clear of combat drones with political consensus in Germany generally against them. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in which drones have been a major factor, has led to a rethink. For the first time in its history, the Bundeswehr is ordering several thousand combat drones this year."
"New technology companies are leading the competition among suppliers: the Berlin-based start-up Stark Defence and Munich-based Helsing are each set to receive orders worth up to 300 million ($360 million). Prototypes from the more established competitor Rheinmetall had failed to impress Bundeswehr testers. The drones being purchased are officially called "loitering munitions" but are more commonly called kamikaze drones or suicide drones because they dive towards their target and blow themselves up."
Germany's Bundeswehr has more than €108 billion ($129 billion) available this year, funded through the federal budget and special loan-backed funds. The money aims to reverse decades of cutbacks and rapidly modernize and strengthen the military. German defense leadership assesses a possible Russian capability to attack NATO territory as early as 2029, creating urgent procurement timelines. The Bundeswehr is ordering several thousand loitering munitions (kamikaze drones), contracting start-ups Stark Defence and Helsing with potential orders up to €300 million ($360 million) each after established prototypes underperformed. The Bundeswehr will deploy drones to units such as its Lithuania brigade and is investing in drone-defense systems, including jammers.
Read at www.dw.com
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