Improved Capability – Against Whom?

On 17 October, the first Marder IFVs arrived in Greece under the so-called ‘Ringtausch’ programme – a cascade event whereby Greece has delivered Soviet-era BMP-1s to Ukraine and found them replaced by Marders from Germany. Some 40 Marders are to be thus donated, of which six have so far been delivered: a total of 100 vehicles may eventually be inducted into Greek Army service.

Greek media reported the Marders’ arrival with great enthusiasm. “We cannot hide our excitement, because the Marder represents an unprecedented improvement in the manoeuvrability of the Greek infantry. The Leopard 2A HELs will finally be joined by frontline-capable IFVs, which will be able to protect the transported crew […] Subsequently, they will be forwarded to the frontline units where they are most needed, namely in Evros, alongside the Leopard 2. This may not please some people, or the Turks, but the [General Staff] will carry out its planning without restrictions, without listening to external voices,” wrote local outlet Defencereview. The river Evros marks the border between Greece and Turkey, and is also a gateway for many migrants to Greece and the EU.

The Marder delivery is bolstered by a German-Greek agreement to modernise 183 Leopard 2 and 190 Leopard 1 A5 (with modernisation of all 353 Leopard 2s in the fleet in prospect eventually).  At the invitation of the Greek Army, Rheinmetall demonstrated the KF41 Lynx during cross-country tests in July – Greece plans to procure 205 of the modern IFV in a deal which – together with the Leopard modernisation – amounts to some €3.5 billion, according to local media. Appropriate measures have reportedly been initiated by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos.

Athens is relying heavily on Berlin’s support for the implementation – and financing – of these projects, and the same applies to parallel naval modernisation programmes. Greece is already receiving extensive support from France, and Italy is also interested in the naval programmes. The Lynx procurement will be accompanied by construction of a large manufacturing complex, and an extensive transfer of technology and know-how.

During Chancellor Scholz’ visit to Athens in October, he and the Prime Minister exchanged views on  defining a potential intergovernmental agreement regarding Greece’s geostrategic position. It is envisaged that the agreement will cover cooperation in energy, security and defence industrial cooperation. Germany would thus signal an important commitment and, as primus inter pares, would thus demonstrate responsibility and its strategic interest regarding admission of the Balkan states to the EU, as well as guaranteeing and securing an independent energy supply within the EU.

The first concrete step is the Marder ‘cascade’ delivery. The first six vehicles took part in the annual military parade in Thessaloniki on 28 October – a historically significant event that commemorates rejection of the fascist ultimatum that later gave rise to Germany’s occupation of Greece.

The current agreement also provides for contracting with German defence companies and the creation of significant capacity in Greece, which will subsequently be available to support all new and existing customers and defence technology programmes within the EU. Current contracts focus on Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall, with various industrial concepts under evaluation. The latter company, for instance, is planning a production facility in northern Greece with the capacity for future production of a range of vehicles in its portfolio. Consideration of a Greek supply chain’s ability to participate in these and future programmes is an important issue, and EODH in Thessaloniki offers a perfect example.

EODH presented its new ASPIS NG protection concept for the Leopard 2 turret at Eurosatory 2022, and signed a new framework agreement for strategic cooperation with KMW – after more than 20 years of cooperation on the Leopard and Boxer systems. This provides for long-term cooperation in securing a guaranteed supply chain for strategic and other innovative materials, thus expanding the existing 2021 agreement. EODH also offers protection solutions for the Dingo 2.

Another milestone for the company is signature of a contract with Rheinmetall, which identifies EODH as a strategic industrial partner, and is based on successful cooperation in various programmes and guarantees potential local project management in future.

As the announcement of the Marder deployment to Evros was made, so Turkish claims to Greek islands in the Eastern Mediterranean were reiterated. Both Chancellor Scholz and, previously, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, have explicitly rejected Turkish claims, with corresponding reactions from Turkey. However, the deployment is likely to lead to continued heated discussions in Germany, the EU and NATO.

André Forkert reporting from Bonn for MON