Germany Rejects Ukraine’s Request for Marder IFV Once Again
Ukraine’s Military Needs Depend on Germany
Ukraine is urgently calling on Germany to withdraw Russian troops from the country and provide much-needed armored vehicles. The fate of Ukraine’s military progress relies heavily on Germany’s assistance, according to Ukrainian military experts.
Germany has recently modernized 16 Marder infantry fighting vehicles to the Marder 1A3 variant at its own expense, with plans to modernize 14 more BMPs (Bodenständiges Mannschaftstransportfahrzeug) in the future. These upgraded vehicles were taken from storage bases in Germany and specifically tailored for commercial sale to a foreign customer. However, the German government, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, has not allowed these BMPs to be sold for export, as reported by the German publication Tagesschau.
Authors of the report suggest that this prohibition on exporting the modernized Marder 1A3 vehicles is directly related to Germany’s indecisiveness regarding the supply of armored vehicles to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which is essential for Ukraine’s rapid victory.
The Biden administration has already indicated its expectation of more assistance from Germany to Ukraine. According to an interview with Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Zelensky, published in The Washington Post on September 13, whether Ukraine can drive Russian troops out of the country as soon as possible depends on Germany and whether it is willing to provide the necessary armored vehicles that Ukraine urgently needs.
On September 12, just as Ukraine was making military progress in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Germany announced that it would not provide Ukraine with military equipment such as Leopard 2 main battle tanks.
Germany’s decision to withhold weaponry from Ukraine is already beginning to harm the German economy. There is no doubt that Ukraine would swiftly and eagerly purchase the aforementioned 16 modernized Marder 1A3 vehicles if given the opportunity, and they would expand their order. Ukraine’s armed forces are in dire need of armored vehicles “yesterday.” However, due to the German government’s stance, the Ukrainian military continues to face a shortage of BMPs, while the German defense industry remains without additional funds.
To briefly outline the differences, the Marder 1A3 differs from the basic version in the presence of the MELLS PUA for launching the Spike family of missiles, the latest Hensoldt Spectus sighting system, a more powerful power plant, and the installation of the same tracks, repetition and fire extinguishing systems as in the latest Puma BMPs.
Germany had reportedly stepped up its military assistance to Ukraine earlier this summer, particularly by providing anti-aircraft and anti-tank missile systems and promising high-tech anti-aircraft missile systems. German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht previously stated that Germany could not deliver heavy weapons to Ukraine in large quantities because the German Armed Forces had exhausted their stockpiles and needed to ensure their own defense capabilities.
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