German Media: Shortage of Military Spare Parts Threatens German Army's Combat Capability

Reference News Network, June 10 report According to a report from German television channel one on June 4, merely procuring large equipment does not guarantee the readiness status of the Bundeswehr: because a large number of newly purchased weapons systems also require sufficient spare parts, which are evidently in short supply. An internal document from the military industry obtained by several media outlets shows this point.

It is claimed that the huge backlog of maintenance tasks has threatened the defensive capabilities of the Bundeswehr. According to this information, the situation regarding the army's armored vehicles seems particularly severe.

The report states that this situation report comes from a key service provider of the Bundeswehr—the Army Maintenance Logistics Company (HIL), which is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the Bundeswehr's military large equipment. The procurement of spare parts is the responsibility of the Bundeswehr's Office for Equipment, Information Technology, and Active Support (BAAINBw).

However, according to this insider report, BAAINBw lacks a "long-term contract structure with industry partners," making it nearly impossible to procure enough spare parts. The report states that the situation is very serious and is expected to lead to "sustained limitations on the operational readiness of important weapon systems."

Industry insiders complain that, against the backdrop of a turning point in the era, a large number of modernized vehicles have been procured, but at the same time, HIL is finding it increasingly difficult to obtain suitable spare parts.

According to the company's official website, HIL's mission is to ensure that at least 70% of the equipment it is responsible for maintaining is always in a usable state, so that it can be used in the event of war. However, HIL management told the media that after intensive exercises by the army, the availability of some vehicles can drop to 30%.

Insiders provided the latest data: according to HIL's internal assessment, only half of all PzH-2000 self-propelled howitzers were operational in May, and nearly half of the "Weasel" infantry fighting vehicles and "Boxer" wheeled armored vehicles were also undergoing maintenance and repair processes. One conclusion from the HIL report is that if changes are not made quickly, Germany may not be able to "reliably fulfill its NATO alliance obligations."

How did this situation occur? BAAINBw, as the core procurement agency for weaponry, is under the German Ministry of Defense. Military experts state that although the agency has procured a large amount of new equipment, it has not given sufficient attention to establishing a reliable spare parts supply chain.

According to insiders, important components such as specialized steering wheels for armored vehicles, control parts, or generator sets are often not available in sufficient quantities on the market. If service providers like HIL can only obtain spare parts sporadically, it will lead to excessively long maintenance and repair cycles.

Despite being supervised by the Ministry of Defense, HIL's management is supposed to operate independently to allocate resources reasonably. However, the internal situation report states that, in practice, relevant departments of the Ministry of Defense continuously intervene.

HIL's situation report is merely a symptom of a larger problem in this turning point of the era. Insiders from the Bundeswehr report that the federal government is pushing for large-scale procurement of new weapon systems, but the existing logistics infrastructure is simply unable to meet this demand. (Translated by Jiao Yu)