German Defense Minister von der Leyen’s decision on MEADS opens a bottomless pit

Press release from June 9, 2015

The decision, announced on June 8, of the German Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg) to acquire the anti-ballistic missile defense system MEADS runs the risk of becoming a financial disaster. That, however, is in conflict with the main objective of the Minister to reform the buying process of large-scale military projects by making processes generally more transparent. On the basis of confidential data from the Federal Ministry, the project could cost the tax payer far more than 5 billion Euros. “The information given by the BMVg reflect only a part of the costs to enforce this project in the Parliament,” comments project leader PD Dr Bernd W. Kubbig, who had presented a study concerning MEADS in the middle of March.

 


The Medium Extended Air Defense System is ought to not only repel missiles with a range of up to 1.000 km, but also cruise missiles, drones and aircrafts; it is supposed to replace the current Patriot. So far, this is merely the case on paper as the development of the system has to be finished until it can be tested and acquired. Having considered this project as being too risky, the USA, the most important partner of the former trilateral project between Germany and Italy, decided to abandon the undertaking. “In a national solo effort, MEADS cannot be bore with justifiable costs. It is hence not effective as a basis for a German air raid and missile defense,“ emphasizes the PRIF-project leader.

 

It remains to be seen whether the current acquisition draft contains plausible scenarios for the use of MEADS while adequately representing threats that justify the further development and acquisition of this defense system. The former version, signed by Inspector General Volker Wieker on January 21, 2014, could not meet these requirements. Moreover, critical remarks concerning the three main tasks assigned to this tactical defense weapons need to be noted: Firstly, according to the MBVg, MEADS does not suit as a means for national defense. Secondly, this system will not be needed in a short-term and medium-term period of time on the northeastern (Baltic States and Poland) and southeastern (Turkey) periphery of the NATO. Having decided against MEADS in summer 2014, Turkey and Poland will not acquire their own missile defense weapons. Thirdly, high-ranked representatives of the BMVg are aware of the exceptional nature of missile defense systems on Federal Armed Forces foreign assignments to protect soldiers.

 


Doubts have been expressed whether the Ministry will be able to satisfactorily dispel the strong concerns a group of consultants had raised at the beginning of October. Heads of the BMVg recently complained about the great pressure generated by the Bavarian armament industry and their confederates in the German Federal Parliament. “There remains a considerable information and clarification demand, especially for the Parliament as a regulatory body for current large-scale projects.” Kubbig’s MEADS-study recommends returning to former German Defense Minister de Maizière’s resolution from October 2011 and to refrain from introducing MEADS “in its entirety”.

 


Contact person:

 

PD Dr. Bernd W. Kubbig
kubbig @hsfk .de
+49 69 959104-36
+49 176 83454075