Germany earmarks $48 billion for armaments in defense push

Baku, March 16, AZERTAC

Germany has targeted at least 44 billion euros ($48 billion) in spending on modern armaments as it seeks to rapidly upgrade its military, according to a lawmaker involved in the defense ministry’s planning process, Bloomberg reports.

The bulk of the total so far is going toward warplanes and ammunition, said Marcus Faber, a defense expert and member of the Free Democrats, a junior partner in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition.

Germany said Monday it would purchase 35 Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35 warplanes and 15 Eurofighters.

Those aircraft will cost a combined 15 billion euros, Faber said. Another 20 billion euros is earmarked for ammunition, with more than 9 billion euros going to cargo helicopters and armored personnel carriers, he said.