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Tightening Purse Strings: German Military in Decline due to Lack of Funding

© AFP 2023 / KAY NIETFELD GERMANY OUT240 soldiers of the German Bundeswehr leave for the mission "patriot" missile defence in Turkey
240 soldiers of the German Bundeswehr leave for the mission patriot missile defence in Turkey - Sputnik International
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The Bundeswehr - which once was one of the strongest and best equipped armies in the world – is now facing a lot of challenges due to a lack of funding and technical problems.

The German army is increasingly becoming weaker due to a lack of funding and a number of technical shortcomings.

Founded in the post-WWII period, the Bundeswehr was one of the largest armies in the world, possessing the most advanced military equipment and well-prepared soldiers.

A Leopard 2 tank is pictured during a demonstration event held for the media by the German Bundeswehr in Munster near Hannover - Sputnik International
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However, when the armed forces of East and West Germany merged into a new joint army and the collapse of the Soviet Union eliminated the threat from the East, the German defense budget was significantly reduced and the amount of military equipment decreased.

The country is currently spending only 1.2% of its GDP on defense, even less than the 2% recommended by NATO. The lack of financing led, for its turn, to the reduction of the arsenal of armored vehicles, weapons and aircraft.

For instance, Germany was originally to purchase 180 Eurofighters, but cancelled its order in 2014 due to domestic budget pressures. Now it will acquire only 143 fighters.

The situation with German Leopard II tanks is quite similar. After the end of the Cold War, Germany reduced its tank force by nearly 90% from 2,125 units to just 225.

At the same time, serious technical shortcomings have been revealed by the G36 assault rifle, which has been part of the standard equipment of German soldiers since 1996. The weapon was discovered to heat up during continuous fire and become incapable of hitting targets.

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