NATO is weak useless piece of Toufu, Putin can Cannibalize them within just 50 Hours!

Hitler_Bush · Nov 1, 2018

https://www.rt.com/news/442801-germany-military-equipment-not-operational/

German army admits most of its newly acquired military hardware is faulty & unfit for service
Published time: 1 Nov, 2018 00:07 Edited time: 1 Nov, 2018 11:40
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FILE PHOTO: Soldiers conduct an exercise with the new German Puma IFV in Munster. © Reuters / Fabrizio Bensch

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The bulk of the new military equipment delivered to the German Armed Forces last year is not ready for service, the German Defense Ministry has admitted, as the force struggles to free itself from a torrent of failures.
Out of 97 pieces of military equipment delivered to the Armed Forces in 2017, only 38 are fully operational, the German Defense Ministry acknowledged, in response to a parliamentary inquiry. The proportion of working equipment works out at about 39 percent, but the ministry hopes to boost these figures to 70 percent.
The fate of the cutting-edge Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) and the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft is what concerns the German military the most. Produced jointly by the German Kraus Maffei-Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall corporations, the 43-ton Puma is thought to be one of the world's best-protected IFVs, while still having a high power-to-weight ratio. However, the ministry's figures reveal that only 27 out of 71 IFVs delivered to the army in 2017 were actually combat-ready.
Read more

Bundeswehr breakdown: What’s gone wrong for Germany’s army?
The A400M is described by Airbus as "the most advanced, proven and certified airlifter available, combining 21st century state-of-the-art technologies to fulfill the current and upcoming Armed Forces' needs." However, out of eight aircraft delivered to the German Armed Forces, only half turned out to be ready for deployment.
The troubles the German forces are experiencing are, however, not limited to these two types of military hardware. Additional reporting by the Defense Ministry suggests that only two out of seven 'Tiger' strike helicopters are ready for service; in the case of the NH90 transport copters, it’s four out of seven.
The 2017 delivery of four Eurofighter jets also ended up with only one of them being actually put into operation while three others were returned to the manufacturers to be re-fitted with new main on-board computers.
The quality of new military equipment "still needs further improvements," the Parliamentary State Secretary for the Ministry of Defense Peter Tauber said, somewhat downplaying the situation.

A German Air Force Airbus A-400 M aircraft. © Reuters / Fabrizio Bensch
The shortcomings in the military industrial complex have been sharply criticized by the lawmakers. "Brand new military equipment [delivered] directly from the production lines of the defense industry [facilities] does not work. It is unacceptable that the industries are provided with materials and funded but it does not work," Matthias Hoehn, an MP from the Left Party, who was behind the inquiry, said.
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Das Boot ist kaputt! Germany has the world's best submarines... but none of them work
Hoehn also accused the German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen of "allowing defense industry bungling [worth] billions of dollars at the expense of the taxpayers." The minister herself called the statistics "not particularly meaningful," adding that the situation is "complex." "We know that there are certain shortcomings," she admitted.
The German military have been continuously struggling with a series of problems plaguing their equipment for quite some time. The German Army –known as Bundeswehr and one of NATO's largest militaries– is now a steady source of news about planes that can't fly, tanks that break down and vessels that are unfit for maritime operations.
In late September, it was reported that the German Navy's newest frigate, which should have been commissioned in 2014, will not launch until 2019, due to faulty systems and staggering costs. This has provoked fears that the ship might become outdated by the time it will actually enter service.

A Puma infantry fighting vehicle of German army, the Bundeswehr. © Reuters / Fabian Bimmer
Last autumn, Germany was literally left without its entire submarine fleet as all of them were either on maintenance or in dire need of repairs. In November 2017, it also became known that more than half of the Bundeswehr's tank fleet is unfit for service. Only 95 out of 244 Leopard 2 main battle tanks were said to be combat-ready, while the remaining tanks were either disarmed or lacked critical spare parts.

In February 2018, it turned out that the he German military can't find enough money to fund a long-awaited modernization of the Puma IFVs. In August, it was also revealed that the existing vehicles are not suitable for tall soldiers.
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Hitler_Bush · Nov 1, 2018

German brand new warship became lob-sided listing on one side on 1st sail at sea, the navy rejected it back to the fucking shipyard.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...is-christmas&usg=AOvVaw3ovWtgnBLpjEbud1JzHWLt

The German Navy Decided To Return Their Bloated New Frigate To The Ship Store This Christmas
It's the first time the German Navy has rejected a ship after it was formally delivered.
By Tyler RogowayDecember 23, 2017

ARGE F125/Lerssen-Defence
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Just weeks ago we told the story of Germany's puzzling Baden-Wurttemberg class Type 125 (F125) frigate program. Not only did we discuss the ship's odd mission and design features, but we also highlighted some of the troubling post-delivery issues with the lead ship in the class. These problems include a persistent list to starboard and the fact that the ship is dramatically overweight, which would limit its performance, increase its cost of operation, and most importantly, negatively impact the Deutsche Marine's ability to add future upgrades to the somewhat sparsely outfitted vessel.

The Curious Case Of Germany's Massive New But Relatively Toothless Type 125 "Frigates"By Tyler Rogoway Posted in The War Zone
Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers Have Woefully Inadequate Close-In Air Defense CapabilitiesBy Tyler Rogoway Posted in The War Zone
Almost All of the UK's Surface Combatants Are in Port While Germany Has No Working SubsBy Joseph Trevithick Posted in The War Zone
The Navy Is Changing Its Plans for its Dumbed-Down Zumwalts and Their Ammoless GunsBy Joseph Trevithick Posted in The War Zone
China's Type 055 Super Destroyer Is A Reality Check For The US And Its AlliesBy Tyler Rogoway Posted in The War Zone
Now the German Navy has officially declined to commission the vessel and will be returning it to Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamberg. The decision to do so was based on a number of "software and hardware defects" according to German media reports. The noted software deficiencies are of particular importance because these destroyer-sized vessels will supposedly be operated by a crew of just 120-130 sailors—just half that of the much smaller Bremen class frigates they replace—continuously for months at a time. On top of that, the design's reliability is paramount as the four ships in the class are supposed to deploy far from German shores for up to two years at a time.
According to Navaltoday.com, this is the first time the German Navy has returned a ship to a shipbuilder after delivery. Baden-Wurttenberg had already missed its planned commissioning date last summer.

German Armed Forces via Lurssen Defense
Complicating things further is the fact that the fourth and final F125 frigate, the Rheinland-Pfalz, was already christened last Spring. Because of the concurrent construction and testing procurement strategy, these vessels are likely to suffer from at least some of the same issues as the lead ship in the class.
Aside from this troubling situation, Germany is going through some major tribulations with its naval arm, including the embarrassing reality that the country currently has no operational submarines.
We'll keep you updated as the F125 frigate saga continues to unfold.
Contact the author: [email protected]
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Hitler_Bush · Nov 1, 2018

German Warship fired missiles on themselves:

https://www.popularmechanics.com/mi...rman-warship-was-scorched-by-its-own-missile/

A German Warship Was Scorched By Its Own Missile

The American-made SM-2 air defense missile failed to clear its own silo.

By Kyle Mizokami

Jun 28, 2018

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A German air defense frigate was damaged in a missile-firing incident off the Norwegian coast last week. A SM-2 missile somehow became trapped in its launcher, and the resulting rocket exhaust inflicted serious damage to the ship’s bow. Two German Navy sailors were injured in the incident.
On June 21st the FGS Sachsen, the first of four Type 124 air defense frigates in German Navy service, was attempting to launch a Standard SM-2 air defense missile. The missile rocket motor ignited but the missile failed to clear the Mk.41 vertical launch system silo. An explosion was followed by a short, intense fire as the rocket motor burned. A video of the incident (along with some well-earned swearing in German) was posted to Twitter.

The fire was mostly out within seconds, but the damage was extensive. Two crew members suffered minor injuries in the incident. It’s unknown why the missile stuck in the silo instead of leap skyward, but an investigation is certainly forthcoming. Each SM-2 missile is about 15 feet long and weighs more than 1,500 pounds.
The Sachsen class frigates are designed to intercept enemy missiles and aircraft, and are equipped with 32 Mark 41 vertical launch silos built into the bow, just in front of the bridge. It was there the launch took place, and photos show the exterior of the bridge suffered extensive scorching. The boxy Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launcher in front of the silo field looks a little brown but otherwise doesn’t appear to have suffered too much.

Twitter

As bad as the incident looks, it could have been a lot worse. The explosion and fire could have spread to other missiles in the silo field but did not. The Mark 41 launcher is armored and designed to work even after the ship suffers damage in combat, a factor that almost certainly limited the damage in this incident.
In July 2015 a SM-2 missile exploded shortly after being launched by the guided missile destroyer USS The Sullivans. There were no injuries in the incident.

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Hitler_Bush · Nov 1, 2018

https://navaltoday.com/2018/06/25/s...ns-out-inside-german-air-defense-frigate-vls/

SM-2 missile fails to launch after booster burns out inside German air defense frigate VLS

FGS Sachsen VLS after the accident. Photo: German Navy/Bundeswehr

A Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) failed to leave the MK. 41 vertical launch system after the rocket booster burned out while the missile was still inside its canister during a live-firing drill conducted by German air defense frigate FGS Sachsen.

Nobody was hurt during the accident, the German Navy said adding that two sailors on the frigate were “stressverletzt” – which means the sailors likely experienced an acute stress reaction. Both have recovered and are ready to return to duty.

The SM-2 failure occurred on Thursday, June 21, off the coast of Norway. The F124 frigate FGS Sachsen was in a Norwegian exercise area together with ASW frigate FGS Lübeck when the accident took place.

“We stood in front of a glaring and glowing hot wall of fire,” Frigate Captain Thomas Hacken, the task group commander said.

The German Navy said the crew’s quick reaction brought the situation under control. The frigate’s water sprinkler system also immediately activated to extinguish the fire.

There had been no indication of a potential technical defect on the starter system, the navy further explained, adding that another SM-2 had been successfully launched shortly before the accident. The rocket had also been inspected prior to the launch and was assessed to be in a perfect technical condition.

Both frigates pulled into the Norwegian port of Harstad in the morning hours of June 22 where FGS Sachsen sailors will evaluate the damage, try to determine the causes of the failure and identify necessary repairs.

Hitler_Bush · Nov 1, 2018

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1191426/world

NATO ill-equipped to defend members: Dutch advisory council

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg gestures as he addresses a press conference during the second day of a defence ministers meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels on November 9, 2017. (AFP / JOHN THYS)

Updated 10 November 2017
AFP
November 11, 2017 03:00
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THE HAGUE: NATO is poorly equipped to defend members against aggression amid uncertainty over its unity under US President Donald Trump, which could allow Russia to exploit vulnerabilities, a Dutch advisory body warned Friday.
“It is becoming doubtful whether NATO will act responsibly and unanimously when it comes to it. There is internal division in an increasing number of areas,” said Joris Voorhoeve, chairman of the Dutch Advisory Council on International Affairs (AIV).
“Uncertainty about the political leadership of the United States under President Trump is accompanied by concerns about the alliance’s unity,” he added.
The warning comes in a report issued Friday by the independent body which advises the Dutch foreign ministry and the government on policy.
“NATO is insufficiently equipped for its core task: protecting members against aggression via a credible deterrent and collective defense,” the AIV said in a statement.
But NATO hit back, insisting it is “the strongest alliance in the world — with 2.5 million men and women under arms and available to come to the defense of any NATO member.”
“The commitment of the United States to NATO is beyond doubt,” NATO deputy spokesman Piers Cazalet added in an email to AFP.
The Dutch body called on the 29-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), set up in 1949 in the aftermath of World War II, to strengthen internal cohesion and work to improve transatlantic relations as “the United States remains indispensable for Europe’s security.”
From the founding of the alliance the US has been its “political and military backbone,” but since Trump took office in January there has been “a lack of leadership” by the Americans.
Europe’s safety is under threat from “destabilizing actions by Russia” and from the current instability in the Middle East, it concludes.
Regions such as the Baltics are currently “not well protected (and) an assertive Russia could seek to abuse this situation,” the report, entitled “The future of NATO and the Security of Europe,” warned.
It recommends that military units on the alliance’s eastern flank in countries such as Lithuania and Poland “should be significantly strengthened” and NATO should consider deploying some kind of rotating brigade.
It also calls for the lifting of bureaucratic obstacles to allow military units and equipment to move more rapidly across borders if needed, by establishing what it called a “military Schengen” — a reference to the EU’s 26-nation borderless system.
But NATO deputy spokesman Cazalet refuted the idea that Baltic nations were vulnerable.
“Our Baltic allies are not just protected by their national forces and NATO’s multinational battlegroups, but by the sum total of Allied armed forces,” he said.
“In response to a more challenging security environment, NATO has implemented the biggest reinforcement of its defense since the end of the Cold War,” he added, highlighting that four multinational battle groups have been deployed to the east.
He also stressed that the NATO response force has been tripled “with a new 5,000-strong quick reaction force at its core, capable of moving in days.”
Concerns, however, have grown about the threat to the alliance’s eastern region since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Nato is currently upgrading capabilities to combat a resurgent Russia, as part of the alliance’s biggest shakeup since the Cold War, with defense ministers on Wednesday backing the creation of two new command centers to help protect Europe.

Topics: NATO Dutch Advisory Council on International Affairs United States

Hitler_Bush · Nov 1, 2018

During NATO exercise, German tanks found to have FAKED Machine Guns substituted by Black Painted Broom Sticks!

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wo...omsticks-instead-of-guns-during-training.html

German army used broomsticks instead of guns during training
A German battalion assigned to Nato's rapid response force used broomstick handles instead of guns on a joint exercise due to chronic equipment shortages

German soldiers during an exercise in Bergen, Germany Photo: Getty Images

By Justin Huggler, Berlin

3:56PM GMT 18 Feb 2015

German soldiers used broomsticks painted black instead of guns during a joint Nato exercise last year due to severe equipment shortages, it has emerged.
The incident took place during exercises for Nato's rapid response force, formed in reaction to the Ukraine crisis, which is supposed to be ready to deploy anywhere it is needed at very short notice.
Soldiers in the Panzergrenadierbataillon 371 took part in the exercises last September in Norway.
The troops were missing 31 per cent of their MG3 general-purpose machine guns, 41 per cent of their P8 handguns, and more than three-quarters of their Lucie night-vision devices.
Soldiers resorted to painting broomsticks black and attaching them to Boxer armoured vehicles to simulate gun barrels.

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The German Defence Ministry sought to downplay the incident, saying the Boxer vehicles in question were being used as mobile headquarters, and were never supposed to be armed.
The shortages of handguns and machine-guns have since been rectified, a spokesman said.
It emerged last month that the German military was also using ordinary Mercedes vans as stand-ins for armoured personnel carriers during training because of equipment shortages.
General Harald Kujat, a former chief of staff of the German armed forces and chairman of the Nato military committee, described the latest incident as a "huge embarrassment".
Panzergrenadierbataillon 371, a mechanised infantry battalion, has been assigned to the new Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), which Nato agreed to form in response to the Ukraine crisis at last year's summit in Wales.
The new task force is supposed to be ready to deploy wherever a Nato member is threatened, Gen Kujat told German television.
"If that is not the case, then both for Nato, and for the Federal Republic of Germany, this is a huge embarrassment," he said.
A spokesman for the Defence Ministry confirmed that soldiers from the unit had complained about the shortages, details of which emerged in a report for Germany's ARD television.
"In the case of the Boxer armoured vehicle, it was being used as a mobile headquarters, and a weapon is not foreseen and not necessary for a mobile headquarters," the spokesman said.
"It was not a fighting vehicle. So we have no explanation why the soldiers would simulate a weapon."
The other shortages predated the unit's assignment to the new Nato spearhead force, he said.
"Under the current regulations, the German army operates with 75 per cent of materiel," he said. "That means there has to be a management system to allot the materiel where we need it."
Since the unit was assigned to the new Nato force, the shortages of machine-guns and handguns have been redressed and the unit's full consignments have been supplied, he said.
The shortage of night-vision goggles had been identified and supplies would be sent within days.
"We're thinking about the Boxer. If the soldiers want to have a weapon on those vehicles, they could be equipped with one, but it's not necessary."
The incident is the latest in a series of disclosures about equipment shortages that have caused concern among Germany's Nato allies.
The Defence Minister, Ursula von der Leyen, admitted last year that shortages were so serious Germany could not meet all of its Nato commitments.
It emerged in a parliamentary report last year that only 42 of Germany's 109 Typhoon fighters are available for immediate use because of maintenance issues.
Only 38 of its 89 Tornado bombers are operational, alongside only 280 of the army's 406 Marten tanks.
Another parliamentary report last month told how members of Germany's KSK special forces had to pull out of a Nato joint exercise because there was no operational helicopter available for them.
Ms von der Leyen this week announced an €8.5bn deal to buy 138 new helicopters.
Under a Nato agreement, members are supposed to spend at least 2 per cent of the GDP on defence, but Germany currently spends only 1.3 per cent.

https://nypost.com/2018/02/21/germanys-military-is-shockingly-ill-equipped/
Germany’s military is shockingly ill-equipped

By Mark Moore

February 21, 2018 | 4:19pm

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Soldiers repair a "Fuchs" armored command, utility and infantry vehicle of the German armed forces Bundeswehr. AFP/Getty Images

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They only fight dirt.
Germany’s armed forces are so ill-equipped with military equipment that a tank unit resorted to using a broomstick as a gun barrel during a NATO training exercise, The Times of London reported on Tuesday.
The sweeping revelation that the troops used a broomstick painted black to stand in as a rifle during a 2014 training operation in Norway came out in a leaked internal army report, the newspaper said.
An ombudsman for the armed forces said Germany’s military readiness has degenerated since a restructuring in 2011 leaving the country’s war-fighting equipment in poor shape.
Its navy only had nine frigates available – not the 15 that had been planned – and they are rarely in service because of frequent maintenance for overuse, said Hans-Peter Bartels.
None of Germany’s six submarines are combat-ready.
The report said Germany’s lack of working tanks, tents and winter clothing are creating doubt about the country’s pledge to take on more responsibility with NATO.

Hitler_Bush · Nov 1, 2018

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...-machine-guns-in-nato-exercises-10054468.html

German army paints broomsticks black to resemble machine guns in Nato exercises

Officials said real weapons were not needed for war games in Norway

Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden
Wednesday 18 February 2015 17:44
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The Independent

The broomsticks were mounted on a 'Boxer' vehicle ( Getty Images )

The German army has been painting broomsticks black and mounting them on armoured vehicles to resemble machine guns, it has emerged.

Defence Ministry officials admitted employing the unusual props during military exercises in Norway with Nato’s rapid Response Force in September.

A spokesperson told The Local the armoured Boxer vehicle carrying the broomsticks was not required to carry live ammunition during the “Noble Ledger” manoeuvres as it was acting as a roving command post.

An internal Bundeswehr report exclusively seen by ARD television's Kontraste programme, said that “the gun barrel on the GTK Boxer’s weapon system was simulated with a black-painted broomstick because no barrels were available”.

The incident has become the focus of ridicule and consternation in Germany amid reports of the Bundeswehr being under-supplied.

But the Defence Ministry spokesperson insisted that its part of the Nato force had been fully equipped for weeks, adding: “Why the soldiers still simulated a weapons system is professionally incomprehensible.”

Nato leaders watch a flypast of military aircraft during the summit in Wales where the spearhead force was planned

Media reports in Germany noted that Bundeswehr troops involved were lacking equipment including night vision devices, pistols and machine guns but the spokesperson said the items were not needed at the time and were available if required.

Around 6,500 soldiers from several countries took part in the exercises, Nato said, in preparations towards a new division formed to tackle humanitarian emergencies and armed conflicts.

Nato's evolution

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At the Wales Summit in September 2014, Britain and other allies agreed to create a spearhead within the existing reaction force called the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).

Formed in response to the Ukrainian conflict, it will be able to deploy at very short notice, particularly at the periphery of Nato’s territory, with troops, artillery, air, maritime and special operations components.

Hitler_Bush · Nov 1, 2018

https://www.dw.com/en/german-military-short-on-tanks-for-nato-mission/a-42603112

German military short on tanks for NATO mission

The German military is under-equipped to take on its upcoming role as leader of NATO's anti-Russian defense force, a leaked document shows. Opposition politicians say the defense minister is to blame.

The German military has secretly admitted that it can't fulfill its promises to NATO, according to documents leaked to Die Welt newspaper on Thursday.

The Bundeswehr is due to take over leadership of NATO's multinational Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) at the start of next year, but doesn't have enough tanks, the Defense Ministry document said.

Specifically, the Bundeswehr's ninth tank brigade in Münster only has nine operational Leopard 2 tanks — even though it promised to have 44 ready for the VJTF — and only three of the promised 14 Marder armored infantry vehicles.

The paper also revealed the reason for this shortfall: a lack of spare parts and the high cost and time needed to maintain the vehicles. It added that it was also lacking night-vision equipment, automatic grenade launchers, winter clothing and body armor.

The German air force is also struggling to cover its NATO duties, the document revealed. The Luftwaffe's main forces, the Eurofighter and Tornado fighter jets and its CH-53 transport helicopters, are only available for use an average of four months a year — the rest of the time the aircraft are grounded for repairs and rearmament.

"The state for all part-time forces are similarly worrying," Hans-Peter Bartels, parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, told Die Welt. Opposition politicians blamed Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen for allowing the military to deteriorate.

Von der Leyen has been in the job since 2013

Von der Leyen should "ask herself what she's been doing for the last legislative period," Green party defense spokesman Tobias Lindner said in a statement.

"Apparently it is politically more opportune to constantly announce armament intentions and trend reversals, rather finally addressing the problems of spare parts and maintenance. Von der Leyen is fully and totally responsible for the current problems."

Read more: How does Germany contribute to NATO?

More than just a money issue

Mark Galeotti, senior researcher and head of the Prague-based Center for European Security, said that "Germany's various military woes" were no secret to the rest of NATO. "For a long time, Germany has under-spent dramatically, and, let's be honest, wrapped itself in the mantle of its non-militarist foreign policy," he told DW, before adding that it had long been clear that the country hadn't been pulling its weight in the alliance.

According to the leaked document, the army would now be trying to cover its "capacity-relevant deficits out of the stocks of other units" — even though that would impact training and exercises elsewhere.

But Galeotti said that tanks present a particular technical challenge that could not necessarily be met just by throwing money at the problem.

"It's not just about buying the actual chunks of hardware, it's also about having precisely the spare parts, the technical infrastructure, the transporters, the refueling stations," he said. "Tanks are surprisingly temperamental for these great armored beasts of war, which is why this deficit can't quickly be made up, even if the money was available."

The Luftwaffe doesn't have as many Eurofighters as it would like

Given Germany's quasi-pacifist priorities (in NATO's military mission in Afghanistan, Berlin had a reputation among allies for keeping its troops out of harm's way), it is not surprising that the country should be cutting corners with tanks, Galeotti explained.

"Tanks are nothing but war-fighting instruments," he said.

"A soldier in a jeep can be used in humanitarian deployments in Africa, can do all kinds of things. A tank is just a tank. And it's that kind of outright military spending that is particularly where Germany has failed in the past two decades."

Read more: Changing Europe revives interest in EU military

The political trip-wire

NATO set up the VJTF, which includes 5,000 soldiers, in 2014 to ward off the threat of Russian military aggression against the alliance's Baltic members. Living up to its name, it is supposed to be ready to fight within 24 hours, though the new documents show that France and Britain are currently the only major European powers with militaries capable of that kind of response.

But, as Galeotti said, the VJTF is more of a "political trip-wire" than a military force. "The point about this deployment is that it tells Russia: Yes, you might be sending your troops into Poland or Estonia, but you're going to have to kill Germans, and other nationalities, the day you do that," he said. "It's a political commitment to the unity of NATO."

For that reason, he argued, even though the tanks are important, the fact that the Bundeswehr will be sending fewer tanks than it would like to does not necessarily hobble the VJTF's mission. "The Russians are not hell-bent on expansion or invasion. It's not likely, certainly for the foreseeable future, that the Russians will want to tangle with NATO," said Galeotti. "We must remember that European NATO, even without the Americans and the Canadians, has more ground troops than the Russians do."

Watch video 02:19

Von der Leyen calls for long-term commitment in Afghanistan

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Hitler_Bush · Nov 1, 2018

https://www.rt.com/news/439662-dutch-troops-lack-underwear/

Cooold War: Dutch troops have to buy winter underwear on their own ahead of major NATO drill
Published time: 27 Sep, 2018 16:14 Edited time: 28 Sep, 2018 16:29
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FILE PHOTO. Dutch soldiers in Lithuania. © Ministry of Defense

The Dutch military has experienced an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction, realizing too late that the soldiers might need warm underwear for upcoming NATO drills in Norway. The troops now will have to go shopping themselves.
The defense ministry failed to procure winter clothes for its soldiers ahead of the Trident Juncture 18 exercise in Norway. Around 1,000 Dutch soldiers, set to take part in the drills, will have to go shopping on their own, State Secretary of Defense Barbara Visser acknowledged on Tuesday.
Read more

NATO training Latvian military to quell 'civilian unrest' during largest drills in decades
Visser said there was no lack of uniforms and the soldiers only have to purchase warm underwear on their own. It seems, however, that the ministry is really concerned about the quality of the underpants, as each trooper will receive €1,000 (US$1,167) to go shopping.
Dutch lawmakers were outraged by the revelation, blasting it as “super embarrassing” and a “bizarre state of affairs.” Some criticized the Secretary’s way of handling the underwear crisis, expressing doubt whether the soldiers will be able to buy the right clothes on their own.
“Safety is primarily the responsibility of the employer. How does the State Secretary know that the soldiers will buy the right clothes?” Dutch MP Andreas Bosman said, as quoted by the NL Times newspaper.
The defense ministry blamed a “lack of time” for the shortage, adding that sending soldiers shopping was an “emergency” measure which will not be repeated.

Given the experiences of the Dutch NATO troops in Lithuania, warm underpants were apparently deemed unnecessary, and the weather conditions in Norway were disregarded. When the top brass finally realized that the troops will likely have to operate in well below zero temperatures, it was too late for the military suppliers to procure the necessary amount of clothing in time.

It remains unclear why the Dutch military “lacked time” to find the obvious, since Oslo agreed to host the drills back in early 2015. Trident Juncture 2018 will be held October-November in central and eastern Norway, as well as the North and Baltic Seas.
READ MORE: For ‘times of crisis and war’? Norway confirms US to double troops on its soil
The exercise is expected to involve around 40,000 participants from various NATO countries, 10,000 vehicles, 70 sea vessels, and 130 aircraft. The event is set to be the largest war games held by the alliance since 2002, and the largest Norway has hosted since 1980s.
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Hitler_Bush · Nov 1, 2018

https://southfront.org/dutch-military-forgets-to-buy-warm-clothes-before-winter-exercises-in-norway/

Dutch Military Forgets To Buy Warm Clothes Before Winter Exercises In Norway

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Originally apppeared at ZeroHedge
No, this is not The Onion.
Dutch military officials forgot to buy winter clothes for their navy soldiers ahead of a winter exercise in Central Norway, and have now resorted to asking the soldiers to go to the stores themselves and buy their own warm clothes… seemingly having forgotten that it can get a little chilly in the Norwegian mountains this time of year…

In what had to be re-read and re-translated numerous times to believe it, Aftenposten reports that around 1,000 soldiers have now been told to go to the store and get warmer clothes as soon as possible, after special Dutch parliamentary decision was made to ensure funds were made available.

Secretary of State Barbara Visser had to assure politicians from both the government parties and the opposition that soldiers attending the Trident Juncture NATO exercise in Norway from October-November will not have to cover the cost of winter clothes from their own pocket, promising that the soldiers will receive an advance of 1000 euros each.
The Dutch Defense regularly sends marines and elite forces to winter training in Norway, but in this case, according to Visser, they had not expected it to get very cold in Norway late in the fall, since earlier experiences from the same season in Lithuania indicated that warm clothes are not required.
Here’s a map to help…

All of which is even more farcical since NATO detail the goal of the Trident Juncture exercise:

“Trident Juncture will test NATO’s ability to train and operate together, also in the northern parts of the NATO area. It will also test the Alliance’s ability to operate in cold weather and difficult terrain.”

Politicians from most parties in parliament reacted with disbelief when the newspaper de Telegraaf revealed that the Armed Forces do not have warm clothes for their soldiers.
For politicians it’s a mystery how to get in this situation. There is money set aside for the purchase of warm clothes and Dutch companies say they can deliver. But the Armed Forces purchasing department, called the CPU, has not managed to get what it needs.
In Parliament, Visser could not explain what has gone wrong, other than that the exercise may have moved to colder areas.
We wonder if President Trump has heard how efficient and prepared one of his NATO allies really is…

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Hitler_Bush · Nov 1, 2018

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018...gets-buy-warm-clothes-winter-exercises-norway

Dutch Military Forgets To Buy Warm Clothes Before Winter Exercises In Norway

by Tyler Durden

Fri, 09/28/2018 - 04:15

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No, this is not The Onion.
Dutch military officials forgot to buy winter clothes for their navy soldiers ahead of a winter exercise in Central Norway, and have now resorted to asking the soldiers to go to the stores themselves and buy their own warm clothes... seemingly having forgotten that it can get a little chilly in the Norwegian mountains this time of year...

In what had to be re-read and re-translated numerous times to believe it, Aftenposten reports that around 1,000 soldiers have now been told to go to the store and get warmer clothes as soon as possible, after special Dutch parliamentary decision was made to ensure funds were made available.

Secretary of State Barbara Visser had to assure politicians from both the government parties and the opposition that soldiers attending the Trident Juncture NATO exercise in Norway from October-November will not have to cover the cost of winter clothes from their own pocket, promising that the soldiers will receive an advance of 1000 euros each.
The Dutch Defense regularly sends marines and elite forces to winter training in Norway, but in this case, according to Visser, they had not expected it to get very cold in Norway late in the fall, since earlier experiences from the same season in Lithuania indicated that warm clothes are not required.
Here's a map to help...

All of which is even more farcical since NATO detail the goal of the Trident Juncture exercise:

"Trident Juncture will test NATO's ability to train and operate together, also in the northern parts of the NATO area. It will also test the Alliance's ability to operate in cold weather and difficult terrain."

Politicians from most parties in parliament reacted with disbelief when the newspaper de Telegraaf revealed that the Armed Forces do not have warm clothes for their soldiers.
For politicians it's a mystery how to get in this situation. There is money set aside for the purchase of warm clothes and Dutch companies say they can deliver. But the Armed Forces purchasing department, called the CPU, has not managed to get what it needs.
In Parliament, Visser could not explain what has gone wrong, other than that the exercise may have moved to colder areas.
We wonder if President Trump has heard how efficient and prepared one of his NATO allies really is...

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syed putra · Nov 1, 2018

Now do you understand why angela merkel allowed 1 million syrians into the country? German are getting complacent. Nothing like new immigrants to invoke a sense of urgency. Like what PAP currently doing

NATO is weak useless piece of Toufu, Putin can Cannibalize them within just 50 Hours!

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