Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has reiterated her call for speed in the repair of the Puma infantry fighting vehicle that failed during exercises. “Industry is responsible for repairing these systems that are not operational now,” said the SPD politician in Lest in Slovakia, where German soldiers are deployed to protect NATO’s eastern flank. Lambrecht: “It’s a task that has to be completed very, very quickly.”
The SPD politician wants to decide later on the fundamental question of whether the Puma should continue to be used. She expects a perspective “that will be shown by the industry that we can use the Pumas reliably”. She said: “And if that doesn’t work, then we have to make a decision to the effect that we may not continue to use this system.”
Lambrecht did not want to comment in detail on a report according to which only about a third of the 105 tank howitzers 2000 in the Bundeswehr are operational. “The deployment in the Ukraine made it clear what excellent capabilities are associated with it. And that’s why it’s important that it’s operational, both in the Ukraine, but we also have operational systems available,” said Lambrecht. She will not discuss the figures for operational readiness in public. Lambrecht: “That has something to do with the security of the Federal Republic of Germany.”
