Germany: Rhienmetall ready to manufacture military tanks for Ukraine

Rheinmetall, a prominent German arms manufacturer, is set to begin shipping tanks to Ukraine, according to the company’s chairman, Armin Papperger.

He announced that his company was planning to ship up to 50 deactivated Leopard 1 tanks, with the first shipment arriving in as little as six weeks.

The shipment, according to Rheinmetall’s chair, must first receive authorization from the German federal government.

Some of the tanks that could be supplied to Ukraine come from stocks of weaponry that has been decommissioned and returned to the original manufacturer by other militaries.

The condition of the tanks is currently being assessed, according to the company’s chair.

Robert Habeck, Germany’s economy minister, declined to say whether the German government would grant approval for the transport of tanks to Ukraine.

He adds, “We have agreed for good reason not to talk about concrete weapons deliveries, types and routes.”

Rheinmetall’s chairman indicated that the business would send 50 to 60 deactivated Marder vehicles to Ukraine.

The indicated the hardware would come directly from Rheinmetall’s own stores, not the Bundeswehr’s, as with the Leopard tanks.

However, some members of Germany’s ruling coalition have questioned how beneficial the tanks and vehicles will be to Kiev, given that Ukrainian personnel are largely trained to utilize Soviet-made military equipment.

Rheinmetall’s Handelsblatt, too, admitted that there remained a significant question mark about where Ukraine would receive its armaments. With a few exceptions, such as Brazil, most countries have already retired Leopard 1 tanks, according to the research.

Germany, along with a number of other countries, has been delivering weaponry to Ukraine since February 24, when Russia began its military campaign against its neighbor.

Several thousand anti-tank and anti-aircraft portable missiles are among the known deliveries.