German Military Expansion: Traditional Defense Giants and New Defense Startups Compete for Budget Allocation

(AFP, Berlin, 13th) As Germany rearms, defense giants are beginning to compete: traditional defense groups advocate investment in heavy weapons, while emerging companies push for more modern equipment, such as artificial intelligence (AI) drones.

German Chancellor Merz (Friedrich Merz) has promised to build the strongest conventional army in Europe, investing billions of euros, accelerating this military expansion that began after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Across Europe, rearmament is accelerating, driven both by pressure from U.S. President Trump for NATO allies to increase defense spending and concerns about whether the U.S. will continue to commit to European security.

But where these funds should go is the focus of debate.

Some German defense technology startups point out that the war in Ukraine shows that relatively cheap, mass-produced equipment, such as AI-driven drones, will be key to future warfare.

Some believe too much money has been invested in classic but expensive weapons, such as tanks and armored vehicles, which can easily become targets of new, low-cost aerial weapons.

Gundbert Scherf, founder of German defense technology company Helsing, told AFP: "Clearly, we have focused too much on traditional combat platforms."

"As the world around us changes, spending patterns must change."

Scherf said attitudes are gradually changing, "I hope we can see a shift from an extreme ratio of 99% traditional systems and 1% automated systems to a more balanced one."

Helsing, based in Munich, was founded in 2021 and is supported by the investment company of Spotify founder Daniel Ek, with a valuation of about 12 billion euros (14 billion dollars). It has recently conducted multiple successful tests with the German military, hitting its targets.

On the other side of this debate is Germany's largest arms manufacturer, Rheinmetall, which is an important supplier of military vehicles and ammunition, and its sales have increased significantly due to the war in Ukraine.

CEO Armin Papperger acknowledged the growing importance of drones, but he believes drones are just one of the key systems of the future.

Papperger said at a media briefing recently: "Without armored vehicles, the country would not be able to defend or repel an invasion."

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1851525442871372/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.