Exactly how much ammunition is in the depots of NATO member countries is top secret. Experts are certain that if the troops had to go to war, they would run out after a few days. An inventory should provide an overview.
In view of the dwindling stocks of ammunition in the depots of the NATO countries, the alliance in Brussels is alarmed. According to information from diplomatic circles, it is expected that the topic will be discussed at the meeting of the defense ministers of the allied states next Tuesday and Wednesday. According to security circles, Germany alone has a gap of 20 billion euros compared to NATO requirements.
The Ministry of Defense in Berlin has so far made no statement on this. “Should Europe have to fight Russia, some countries would run out of ammunition within days,” said a European diplomat. That’s why the alliance is currently taking stock, said a NATO representative who did not want to be named.
There are individual targets for all member states in the procurement of ammunition, which were largely not met even before the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. In view of the war, stocks have now fallen further. It is therefore expected that Allianz will now want to increase the targets.
The chairwoman of the defense committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, said in the Bundestag: “It was a lost year.” Directly with the decision of the federal government to supply the Ukraine with the anti-aircraft tank Gepard or the Panzerhaubitze 2000 from the Bundeswehr inventory, additional orders should have been placed immediately. “It’s very, very, very annoying that that didn’t happen and that it’s only being done now, even though we’re already in the 12th month,” said the FDP politician, who has long called for the delivery of Leopard-type battle tanks has.
In the special fund for the Bundeswehr with a volume of 100 billion euros, the ammunition category is not planned. But that is not a problem for Strack-Zimmermann. Then the funds would have to be financed from the current budget, she said. “What matters is that the money is made available.” At the same time, the FDP politician emphasized that the industry now needs reliable orders for everything from small-caliber ammunition to rockets. “This is the only way companies can increase their capacity accordingly.”
It is estimated that the Ukrainian armed forces fire up to 10,000 rounds a day. How much ammunition is still in the depots of the NATO countries is top secret. According to NATO officials, the biggest failures are the Cheetah and the Patriot air defense system, which is used extensively by the Ukrainian armed forces.
