Patriot thumbnailImage: Bundeswehr/Peter Müller Patriot thumbnailImage: Bundeswehr/Peter Müller

German military aid to Ukraine — Week 28 / 2024

One day before the beginning of the anniversary NATO summit, the German government once again emphasized that it is a strong partner of Ukraine — in fact the strongest partner in Europe — and regularly provides it with new military assistance.

So yesterday, the official list on which almost all delivered and promised military aid to Ukraine is listed was updated. A clear signal to the allies and to Ukraine. Germany is doing its part — it’s time for you to do the same!

In the past three to four weeks, Germany has delivered the following weapons systems, vehicles, and equipment to Ukraine.

  • 1 MIM-104 Patriot SAM system
  • 10 Sonobot 5 USVs
  • 30 Vector UAVs
  • 200 mobile drone jammers
  • 1 Bergepanzer 2 ARV
  • 4 WiSENT 1 MC mine clearing tanks
  • 10 special armored vehicles (likely including 9 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 GXR SUVs)
  • 2 pickup trucks
  • 93,000 smoke grenades
  • 10,000 detonators
  • 2 TRML-4D air surveillance radars
  • 150 CR 308 rifles
  • 10 HLR 338 precision rifles
  • 250 MG5
  • 800 MK 556 assault rifles
  • ? missiles for MIM-104 Patriot SAM system
  • 9,000 35mm APDS-T ammunition for Gepard/Cheetah SPAAGs
  • ammunition for Leopard 1A5 MBTs
  • 55,000 155mm shells
  • 58,000 40mm ammunition for automatic grenade launchers
  • 39 Satcube terminals
  • 150 night vision goggles

Urgently needed air defence arrived

The third MIM-104 Patriot fire unit that Germany has delivered to Ukraine certainly deserves a special mention. I had already reported on this a few days ago, after the German Ambassador to Ukraine Martin Jäger announced the delivery on X (formerly Twitter).

The 200 mobile drone jammers, two TRML-4D air survailance radars and further 9,000 rounds of APDS-T ammunition for the Gepard SPAAGs supplied by Germany also belong to the area of air defence.

TRML-4D presentation of Diehl DefenceImage: Diehl Defence
TRML-4D Air Surveillance Radar produced by HENSOLDT

The TRML-4D is a state-of-the-art air surveillance radar which most people will know as part of the IRIS-T SLM air defence system. The German government, however, also supplies these radars as stand-alone solutions. In total, one radar alone can detect and track around 1500 targets within a radius of up to 250 kilometres.

These highlighted deliveries will greatly strengthen Ukraine’s air defence. Only yesterday there was a major attack by Russia on the Ukrainian capital in which, among other things, a children’s hospital was heavily bombed.

Rifles and ammunition for Ukrainian SOF

Ukrainian special forces also benefited in particular from the deliveries in recent weeks. As every month, additional CR 308 rifles (150), HLR 338 precision rifles (10) and MK 556 assault rifles (800) were delivered.

The big surprise was the delivery of 250 additional MG5s! The German government had previously delivered 100 MG5s to Ukraine in August last year, which are in use exclusively with the International Legion and Ukrainian special forces. The 250 newly delivered MG5s will most likely cause great enthusiasm among the Ukrainian SOF.

MK 556 thumbnail
An MK 556 assault rifle in service with a Ukrainian SOF

Large quantities of artillery shells and other ammunition

The relatively large quantity of 155mm shells, of which Germany has delivered 55,000 to Ukraine in the past three to four weeks, is probably also eye-catching.

However, the large delivery is not due to a significant increase in production by the German defence giant Rheinmetall but rather to the artillery shells supplied via the Czech ammunition initiative. A total of 50,000 shells were already delivered to Ukraine in June, as I previously reported.

Germany also supplied Ukraine with 58,000 rounds of 40mm ammunition for automatic grenade launchers such as the HK GMG, which was also supplied by Germany. However, these munitions are often repurposed to be dropped by unmanned drones.

For the first time in two and a half years, smoke grenades — 93,000 in total — have been added to the official list of the German government, which were supplied to the Ukrainian army from Bundeswehr stocks.

It is certainly interesting to note here that on the 22nd of May 2024, just a month and a half ago, a contract was signed between the Bundeswehr and Rheinmetall for the production and delivery of around one million DM45 smoke hand grenades worth around €67 million.

I find it difficult to imagine that the delivery to Ukraine is not directly linked to the order to Rheinmetall. Especially not because Germany has never supplied anything like this to Ukraine before. It can therefore be assumed that the Bundeswehr saw this as a good opportunity to give old stocks a new lease of life.


If you liked this post, consider following me on X, Bluesky, or Telegram. If you like, you can also leave me a tip on Ko-fi.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *