Lack of spare parts endangers combat capability of German howitzers supplied to Ukraine

This is reported by Spiegel.

As the journalists found out, after the delivery of 14 Panzerhaubitze 2000 to Ukraine, the Federal Ministry of Defense was unable to order large packages of spare parts in time for the regular repair of weapon systems and, thus, maintaining them in operational condition.

Meanwhile, a large part of the artillery systems supplied by Germany need repair due to intensive use on the front in eastern Ukraine. It was said in Bundeswehr circles that the Ukrainians are now firing about 300 shells a day, which causes the weapons systems to wear out.

The publication also reports that six German howitzers were recently delivered to Lithuania for technical repair. However, since neither the industry nor the Bundeswehr had the necessary components for the howitzers, the technicians had to disassemble one of the howitzers and leave it in Lithuania for the time being.

The lack of spare parts is now also paralyzing the work of the so-called repair hub, which Germany wants to establish in Slovakia by mid-December to repair the weapons delivered there.