Germany spends milllions of euros for US military bases

The German government has provided €243 million ($270 million) over the past seven years to support US troops based in the country.

The sum accounts for costs such as benefits for former workers and operating costs associated with maintaining buildings and other properties.

Read more: US military in Germany: What you need to know

Another €480 million in financial support has gone toward contributing to NATO-related construction costs in Germany, “almost exclusively” on account of the United States.

The numbers were revealed in a parliamentary response from the Finance Ministry to the Left party that was seen by the dpa news agency.  

Germany is the European country where most US troops are posted, with 35,000 soldiers deployed there along with 17,000 American civilians. Around 12,000 German civilians also work in jobs connected to the US military.

The United States has suggested it may withdraw some troops stationed in Germany amid differences between Berlin and Washington over NATO contributions. Poland has been mooted as a possible new location for some US troops.

Chancellor Angela Merkel last week downplayed Washington’s threats but recognized more needed to be done to improve German military capabilities.

• Bundeswehr struggles with faulty defense equipment

  Faulty tanks and grounded helicopters — today in the German military

  Frustrated soldiers and a defense system struggling to repair its way into a fully functioning military. And a new defense minister who will have to regain confidence from army representatives.

• Bundeswehr struggles with faulty defense equipment

  Defective helicopters

  Ageing helicopters have proved a big hurdle for the German military. The Bundeswehr has grounded all its 53 Tiger helicopters, after engineers said technical faults needed attention. Defense services were also forced to recall 22 Sea Lynx anti-submarine helicopters in 2014, confirming newspaper reports of malfunction.

• Bundeswehr struggles with faulty defense equipment

  Manufacturing fault

  The Eurofighter is the German military’s most modern fighter jet. As a result of a manufacturing error, only four of the 128 planes were in action in 2018. A pilot was killed in June 2019 when two Eurofighters collided in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg- Western Pomerania, prompting fresh calls for further restriction on the plane’s use.

• Bundeswehr struggles with faulty defense equipment

  Let’s replace it… as soon as we make a decision

  Tornado fighters have been flying for over 40 years. CDU plans to replace the ageing planes were thrown into question by the center left SPD in February 2019. But some officials claim flying the Tornado after 2030 could cost Germany around €8 billion ($9 billion) in repair costs.

• Bundeswehr struggles with faulty defense equipment

  Not making any tracks

  New Puma tanks for the German tanks came into use in 2018. Only 27 of the 71 Pumas were immediately ready for deployment — which prompted a fresh backlash against then Defense Secretary Ursula von der Leyen.

• Bundeswehr struggles with faulty defense equipment

  Glitches at sea

  New F125 frigates — but they are’t ready yet. German plans to replace the old frigates stalled in 2018, due to there not being enough spare parts to make them seaworthy. Officials also said Germany would have to soon stop signing up to NATO and UN missions in the same year — the country just did not have enough ships spare.

• Bundeswehr struggles with faulty defense equipment

  Headache for AKK?

  She has not been in the job long, but Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has inherited a huge problem. Old equipment being grounded is now a regular and pressing occurrence. Former Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen signed a deal to develop a “Future Combat Air System” in June — which is scheduled to replace Germany’s air force by 2040.

  Author: Sven Pöhle / db

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