Problems with German PzH 2000 SAUs caused by supply planning errors in Ukraine - Spiegel
Germany transferred 14 Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery units to Ukraine, which are actively used on the battlefield. However, unexpected problems arose with them.
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According to Spiegel, the Bundeswehr made mistakes when planning deliveries of additional parts to the PzH 2000, as a result of which there are now problems with the repair of equipment. The German Defense Ministry has not been able to order large packages of spare parts in time to regularly repair the SAUs and keep them in working order.
Now most of the artillery systems are in need of repair due to intensive use at the front: the Ukrainian military fires about 300 shells every day, and this causes severe wear and tear on the weapon systems.
Thus, recently six German howitzers were brought to Lithuania for technical repairs. However, since the necessary spare parts for the howitzers were not available either in the industry or in Germany, the technicians had to disassemble one of the howitzers and leave it in Lithuania for the time being.
"The lack of spare parts doesn't surprise anyone. At the end of the summer, the Bundeswehr procurement department warned the ministry, to no avail, to order large packages of spare parts for the howitzers and Mars II multiple rocket launchers because the delivery times were too long. However, so far no corresponding instructions have come from the so-called Ukrainian special staff," Spiegel wrote.
A shortage of spare parts is now also paralyzing the so-called repair unit, which Germany wants to set up in Slovakia by mid-December to repair the weapons delivered there.
Source: Spiegel