With his post on Twitter, the Minister of Defense N. Panagiotopoulos referred to his meeting with his German counterpart Mrs. Christine Lambrecht, during the NATO Summit in Madrid, confirming the rapid pace at which the agreement to exchange BMP-1 armored vehicles with Marder 1A3 and the confirmation of bilateral discussions on defense industry cooperation.
As mentioned by the Ministry of Defense, the goal is to start implementing the agreement to support Ukraine with armored vehicles, within July. Indeed, according to accurate information from the HORSE TOUR, on Sunday July 3 a three-member committee of Greek officers is leaving for Germany, to closely inspect the Marder 1A3s being prepared and to be informed about all aspects of the process.
The committee is made up of officers from the Infantry, Cavalry – Armored and Technical Directorates, who will remain in Germany next week. The visit takes place in Unterluss, where one of Rheinmetall’s largest industrial units and testing center is located, where German Army armored vehicles are also maintained. The company has undertaken and is carrying out full maintenance work on the Marder 1A3, with the replacement of every worn part, so that they are fully functional.
The cost of the work is fully covered by the German government. It is estimated that about 15 armored vehicles are already ready. As the project is being carried out under the auspices of the German government, the work is carried out under the exact same procedures and under the supervision of the inspectorate of the German Army, based in Unterluss.
As for the cooperation in the defense industrial sector, which was referred to by the Ministry of Defense, the procedure followed for an out-of-court agreement between the companies KMW and Rheinmetall with the Greek State is known, so that for the first time the Greek side can secure industrial investment in the country at the same time. The intention of the German companies is, with a joint venture, to create in Greece a state-of-the-art industrial unit that will support their global network and implement programs for the Greek Army, resulting in serious real and not virtual financial returns for the country, beyond the creation of a few hundred jobs.
In the context of a broader approach between the two countries at the political level, the German government fully supports the perspective, which is accompanied by German financing proposals with conditions favorable to the Greek side. The German proposal is open to the participation of the Greek State in the new industrial unit.
