In the coming weeks or days the German Ministry of Defense is set to request approval from the Bundestag budget allocations and defense committees for the budget for the plan to lease five IAI-made Heron-PT UAVs US “Defense News” has reported.
The €1 billion deal for leasing UAVs made by Israel Aerospace Industries to the German army has been revived nine months after being almost terminated by the Bundestag (the German parliament in Berlin).
Under the program the UAVs will be stationed in Israel under the management of the military wing of Airbus at least in the first stage. The UAVs are initially designated for intelligence missions such as aerial photography and surveillance of enemy forces. At a later stage they are also likely to be used to attack ground targets including targeted killings.
Last June the Bundestag voted against then Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen’s request for approval of the deal. The Social Democratic Party one of Chancellor Angela Merkel coalition partners led the opposition despite the defense minister’s statement that the Israeli UAVs were essential for national security.
“Defense News” says that sources in Berlin expect the German Ministry of Defense’s request for approval of the UAV deal to be approved. Government sources who favor the deal are stressing the argument that Germany’s friendship with Israel should guide the decision-making process and this consideration carries weight in the Bundestag.
In the first stage the government is asking for money to be allocated to lease the UAVs and their sensor systems. In the next stage a request for a budget allocation for buying the armament systems for UAVs will be raised for discussion.
Despite last year’s defeat in the Bundestag the German Ministry of Defense did not give up on the plan and the UAVs remained a high priority for the Merkel government.
On January 13 “Defense News” quoted Bundestag sources as saying that the main reason for the Germans’ selection of the Heron was Israel’s willingness to allow German extensive access to its technology. “All of the technological information we are likely to need has been promised to us” a source described as knowledgeable told the weekly.
