2016 Germany Special Weapons News

Pour on the Gasoline: Berlin Reveals Plan to Train Saudi Military in Germany Sputnik 11 Dec 2016 -- The German Bundeswehr is going to train Saudi military officers in Germany, despite concerns about atrocities committed by the Saudi military in Yemen.
German Spy Chief: Russia Trying To 'Destabilize' Germany Ahead Of Elections RFE/RL 08 Dec 2016 -- German intelligence says Russia is trying to destabilize German society with an intensifying campaign of propaganda, disinformation, and cyberattacks ahead of federal elections next year.
WikiLeaks Releases Info on German Inquiry Into BND Surveillance, Work With NSA Sputnik 01 Dec 2016 -- WikiLeaks released on Thursday 90 gigabyte of information on German parliamentary inquiry into surveillance of the country's foreign intelligence agency Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) and its cooperation with the US National Security Agency (NSA).
German Intel Agency to Spend About $160Mln on Decryption of Messengers - Reports Sputnik 30 Nov 2016 -- Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND) is going to spend 150 million euros (about $160 million) on the project allowing decryption of messengers such as WhatsApp and Telegram, local media reported.
Germany Mulls Moving Anti-Daesh Operations Base From Turkey to Jordan Sputnik 25 Nov 2016 -- Germany military officials will travel to Jordan's capital Amman this weekend to investigate a possible relocation of Tornado spy jets from southern Turkey, sources told a German newspaper on Friday.
Israel's Netanyahu aims to buy German submarines despite brewing scandal Press TV 20 Nov 2016 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is resolute in purchasing three German submarines as an unfolding scandal surrounding him reveals that personal interests have been involved in the billion-dollar deal.
Germany's Merkel Announces Run for 4th Term VOA 20 Nov 2016 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced Sunday she is seeking a fourth term as head of government.
Remarks by President Obama and Chancellor Merkel of Germany in a Joint Press Conference The White House 17 Nov 2016
Germany's Spy Agency May Get Its Own Satellite by 2022 Sputnik 11 Nov 2016 -- Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND) will get its own satellite, possibly as soon as in 2022, German media report.
Consulate attack won't alter Berlin's attitude toward assisting Afghanistan: Official Press TV 11 Nov 2016 -- Germany has said a recent attack on its consulate in Afghanistan will not alter the necessity of Berlin's commitment to extending "assistance" to the war-tattered country.
Six Afghans Killed, Scores Injured After Taliban Attack On German Consulate RFE/RL 11 Nov 2016 -- A Taliban suicide bomber drove a truck loaded with explosives into the German Consulate in northern Afghanistan, killing at least six people and wounding more than 100.
Attack on German Consulate in Afghanistan Kills Six, Staff Not Injured Sputnik 11 Nov 2016 -- A late night attack on the German consulate in northern Afghanistan left six people dead and many wounded, Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Friday, adding that none of the staff were injured.
UN mission in Afghanistan condemns deadly attack near German consulate in Mazar UN News 11 Nov 2016 -- The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has condemned last night's attack, for which the Taliban has claimed responsibility, against civilians in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, which killed four people and wounded more than 120 others.
Germany: Staff Unhurt Following Taliban Attack on Consulate in Afghanistan VOA 11 Nov 2016 -- Germany said Friday that all of the employees at its consulate in northern Afghanistan were unhurt and accounted for, following an overnight Taliban suicide assault on the diplomatic facility.
German Parliament Backs Cabinet Bid to Prolong, Expand Anti-Daesh Operations Sputnik 10 Nov 2016 -- The German parliament backed the government proposal on Thursday to extend military deployment to a Turkish base and to provide personnel for NATO spy jets to monitor Daesh in Syria.
German police arrest 5 suspected Daesh recruiters Press TV 08 Nov 2016 -- German police have arrested five people accused of working as recruiters for the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the country.
5 Men Suspected of Recruiting for Islamic State Arrested in Germany VOA 08 Nov 2016 -- Five men were arrested Tuesday in Germany on accusations of recruiting fighters for the Islamic State terrorist group. Justice Minister Heiko Mass called the arrests "an important blow to the extremist scene in Germany."
German army finds 20 Takfiri infiltrators Press TV 05 Nov 2016 -- The German army has found 20 Takfiri militants in its ranks who had enlisted to gain weapons and tactical training to use later in terrorist attacks.
German Military Uncovers 'Islamists' Within Its Ranks Sputnik 05 Nov 2016 -- Germany's Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) has discovered at least 20 "Islamists" among the country's armed forces and has put another 60 under surveillance for suspected Islamist leanings, German media reported November 5.
Turkey Blocking German Construction Projects at Incirlik Air Base Sputnik 04 Nov 2016 -- Turkish authorities have so far refused to permit construction of German infrastructure at Turkey's southern Incirlik Air Base, German media reported Friday.
Germany summons Turkish envoy to protest arrest of pro-Kurdish MPs Press TV 04 Nov 2016 -- Germany has summoned Turkey's envoy in Berlin to protest the arrest of about a dozen pro-Kurdish lawmakers, amid domestic and international pressure against Ankara over its harsh crackdown.
Germany's Merkel censures Turkey for media crackdown Press TV 02 Nov 2016 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has voiced concern about Turkey's widening crackdown on the media.
Germany Extends Involvement in UN Missions in Sudan, S. Sudan Until 2018 Sputnik 02 Nov 2016 -- Bundeswehr's involvement in the United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), and the UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) will be extended until the end of 2017, maintaining a regular level of staff, up to 50 soldiers at each point, according to government spokesman Steffen Seibert.
Leaked Bundeswehr Documents Say Germany Will Lack Combat Capacity Soon Sputnik 30 Oct 2016 -- Germany may be unable to maintain a necessary level of combat capacity following problems with military aircraft procurement, according to leaked Bundeswehr documents.
Germany's Purchase of Five New Warships Seen as 'Signal to Russia' Sputnik 16 Oct 2016 -- At least five Braunschweig class corvettes will enter service with the German navy in the next few years, in what can be seen as a signal to Russia, according to the newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung.
Berlin Agrees to Provide Crews for NATO's AWACS Planes in Syria Sputnik 12 Oct 2016 -- German servicemen will carry out reconnaissance missions aboard NATO's Airborne Warning and Control System planes in Syria.
Additional German troops to man NATO AWACS planes Press TV 12 Oct 2016 -- Germany has decided to send more troops to Turkey to operate NATO's AWACS surveillance aircraft near Syria where the Arab country is fighting terrorists with the help of its allies such as Russia.
Germany grounds half of its Tornado jets due to loose screws Press TV 07 Oct 2016 -- A technical defect has forced Germany to ground nearly half of its fleet of Tornado aircraft, including six reconnaissance jets used in the US-led coalition purportedly targeting Daesh militants in Syria and Iraq.
In US' Footsteps, Germany Plans Military Base in Niger Sputnik 06 Oct 2016 -- A week after the US confirmed that it is building a military base in Niger, Germany has announced plans for a base of its own in the impoverished West African nation.
Germany to Suspend Production of Eurofighter Jets Sputnik 04 Oct 2016 -- After twenty years in service, the Eurofighter aircraft may be temporarily or permanently withdrawn from the German market, German newspaper Die Welt wrote.
German Bundeswehr's Secret Afghan Phone Hacking Operation Rumbled Sputnik 24 Sep 2016 -- Although it claims its computer experts only carry out laboratory hacks, the German army was engaged in its first hacking mission in Afghanistan last year, German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Friday.
Germany, Romania to Fly Mission Over Russia, Belarus Sputnik 12 Sep 2016 -- German and Romanian inspectors will conduct an aerial surveillance flight over Russia and Belarus.
German Intelligence Services Seeking Budget Increase of Over $170Mln in 2017 Sputnik 08 Sep 2016 -- Two German intelligence services, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), have requested a budget increase of over 152 million euros ($171 million) amid heightened terrorism and the threat of cyberattacks, local media reported, citing secret budget documents.
Germany to Invest $65Mln to Build Infrastructure in Turkey's Incirlik Airbase Sputnik 06 Sep 2016 -- The German defense ministry has allocated a total of 58 million euros ($65 million) to build infrastructure to support German forces stationed at the Turkish Incirlik airbase which is used to conduct missions against the Daesh terrorist group, German media reported.
German Intelligence Service Accused of 'Systematically' Violating Constitution Sputnik 02 Sep 2016 -- In a leaked report from the government's representative for data protection, Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), Germany's Federal Intelligence Service was blamed for serious abuses of law.
NATO Secretary General praises Germany's contributions to the Alliance NATO 02 Sep 2016 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the recent German White Paper on Security Policy and the Future of the Bundeswehr – including the German government's commitment to participate even more in shaping international security – in an address to Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) parliamentarians in the Bundestag on Friday (2 September 2016). He outlined how NATO is responding to challenges from the east and the south of the Alliance, stressing the importance of closer cooperation between NATO and the European Union.
France and Germany take over protection of Baltic skies NATO 31 Aug 2016 -- In a ceremony on Wednesday (31 August), France and Germany took over NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission from Portugal and the United Kingdom, which guarded the skies over the Alliance's Baltic member states since May.
Steinmeier Calls For New Arms Deal With Russia To Avoid Accidental War RFE/RL 26 Aug 2016 -- Germany's foreign minister is calling for a new arms control deal with Moscow as intensified military exercises by Russia and NATO have raised concerns that a war could inadvertently be triggered.
Germany mulls withdrawal of jets from Turkey air base: Report Press TV 25 Aug 2016 -- A report says Germany is preparing for the possible removal of its six Tornado reconnaissance jets from Turkey's Incirlik Air Base as Ankara continues blocking German parliamentarians' access to the compound.
Lithuanian-Latvian-German Joint Naval Drills Continue in Lithuania Sputnik 22 Aug 2016 -- BALTRON SQUADEX II-16 exercises, naval military drills, involving warships from Lithuania, Latvia and Germany will take place in Lithuanian territorial waters, according to the statement of the Lithuanian Defense Ministry.
I Can't Stand the Rain! Top German Military Vehicle Scared of Getting Wet Sputnik 20 Aug 2016 -- The German infantry fighting vehicle Puma, which is considered to be one of the best-protected armored vehicles in the world, has turned out to be vulnerable to rainwater.
Haunted By Its Past, Germany Scrambles To Document Migrants RFE/RL 06 Aug 2016 -- In Germany, a country known for its fastidious record-keeping, the fingerprints of thousands of migrants are still waiting to be scanned and entered into a national database.
Mass Walk-Out? Hundreds of Soldiers Resign From German Army Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- Over 400 German soldiers have filed applications for resignation from the country's armed forces, Rheinische Post reported.
Germany Considers Army Role in Terrorism Clampdown Sputnik 25 Jul 2016 -- Germany is considering loosening parts of its constitution and allowing for the deployment of the military across the country in an effort to protect its citizens from terrorism after the fourth attacks in the space of a week killing ten and injuring dozens more.
Germany Unlikely to Agree AWACS Syria Flights From Turkey Sputnik 12 Jul 2016 -- Berlin is unlikely to give a green light to more reconnaissance flights over Syria from the Turkish territory in light of Ankara's resistance to allow a German Bundestag delegation to visit German soldiers at the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey, Rainer Arnold, a German lawmaker from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), told Sputnik on Tuesday.
Germany spied on 1000s of NATO, EU targets: Bundestag report Press TV 12 Jul 2016 -- Germany's foreign intelligence service spied on hundreds of NATO and European Union diplomatic missions until late 2013, a parliamentary report reveals.
Germany Arms Export Volume in 2015 Doubled Compared to 2014 Sputnik 03 Jul 2016 -- The volume of arms exports from Germany in 2015 has almost doubled since 2014, reaching its highest level since 2000, local media reported Sunday, citing the Ministry of Economy.
German arms exports almost doubled in 2015: Report Press TV 03 Jul 2016 -- Germany almost doubled its arms exports in 2015 to the highest level in nearly 20 years, in contradiction with an earlier pledge to restrict the amount of weapons sales, a report says.
Germany, Poland Make 'Historically Unique' Deal to Combine Submarine Fleets Sputnik 30 Jun 2016 -- In a push to modernize their navies, Germany and Poland have agreed to work together, establishing a joint submarine operating authority.
Germany to tighten surveillance activities of its spy agency Sputnik 29 Jun 2016 -- The German cabinet has approved new measures that would tighten controls over the surveillance activities of the country's intelligence service.
Germany Rules Out Informal 'Brexit' Talks Amid Diplomacy RFE/RL 27 Jun 2016 -- Germany has warned that there will be no informal talks on the conditions for Britain leaving the European Union without London filing formal notice of its intent to quit, as top EU and U.S. officials scrambled to contain the fallout from the vote.
Turkey allows German defense minister's visit to air base Press TV 27 Jun 2016 -- Turkey has agreed to grant a visit to German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen to an air base south of the country a day after the minister reacted angrily to Ankara's refusal to allow a trip to the base by a German political delegation.
Germany must increase military spending to counter threats: Merkel Press TV 22 Jun 2016 -- Chancellor Angela Merkel says Germany must increase defense spending considerably from current levels to cope with "external threats," stressing that Berlin cannot count on the US.
German, French special forces in Syria 'an aggression' Press TV 15 Jun 2016 -- The Syrian government says French and German forces are present in northern Syria, condemning it as an act of "aggression."
Germany Denies Reports of Bundeswehr Special Units Deployed in Syria Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- There are no German troops or advisers present on the Syrian territory, a German Defense Ministry spokesperson told Sputnik on Wednesday.
German Lawmakers Recognize Ottoman Killings Of Armenians As A Genocide RFE/RL 02 Jun 2016 -- Germany's lower house of parliament has approved a resolution recognizing the mass killings of Armenians during World War I by Ottoman forces as a "genocide," unleashing a furious reaction from Ottoman successor state Turkey.
Germany Recognizes Armenian Genocide, Drawing Turkey's Ire VOA 02 Jun 2016 -- German lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Thursday to recognize the World War I-era killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide, triggering an angry reaction from Ankara.
Germany's Bundeswehr Concealed Shortcomings With Jets' Production For Years Sputnik 22 May 2016 -- The German Ministry of Defense knew about the violations in the production of the Airbus A400M transport aircraft for several years, but has done little to improve the situation, German magazine Der Spiegel reported, referring to internal Bundeswehr documents.
Money Trouble: German Bundeswehr Can't Afford New Tanks Sputnik 22 May 2016 -- The German Bundeswehr is short of funds to buy an advanced tactical missile defense system and an additional number of Leopard-2 tanks, according to an internal Defense Ministry document obtained by the daily newspaper Bild.
Back to the Future? Why Germany is Building Up Its Military Sputnik 15 May 2016 -- For the first time since the end of the Cold War, Germany has enlisted additional soldiers in its army. The era of disarmament in Berlin seems to be over, Austrian newspaper Die Presse wrote.
Germany Taking Part in NATO War Games Close to Russian Borders Sputnik 15 May 2016 -- NATO has organized a large-scale military exercises in Estonia which are being carried out directly on the border with Russia. German soldiers are also actively taking part in the maneuver, German newspaper Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten (DWN) reported.
Merkel's Office Accused of Knowing of German Spy Agency Chaos Sputnik 28 Apr 2016 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office was alerted to the dysfunctionality of the country's intelligence agency, BND, but took no action until the sacking of its chief Gerhard Schindler, according to one of the country's most senior journalists.
Germany set to pick foreign intelligence chief Press TV 27 Apr 2016 -- Germany is to replace its foreign spy chief in an ostensible move to compensate repercussions of controversial cooperation between the service and intelligence agencies in the United States.
German Gov't Confirms Intelligence Chief's Retirement Sputnik 27 Apr 2016 -- The German government confirmed on Wednesday that the head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) would leave his post before his term had expired.
German Spy Chief Steps Down, No Reason Given VOA 27 Apr 2016 -- The head of Germany's intelligence agency is stepping down two years early, with no reason given for the sudden departure.
Planning to Stay: Germany to Construct Permanent Air Base in Turkey Sputnik 25 Apr 2016 -- Germany is discussing the construction of its own permanent air base in Turkey with Ankara; it plans to use the base to combat Daesh terrorists, according to the Der Spiegel magazine.
German Triple Agent Given Eight Years In Prison RFE/RL 17 Mar 2016 -- Germany has sentenced a former intelligence employee for spying for the United States and Russia.
Germany's Tornado Jets Made Some 150 Flights as Part of Syria Operation Sputnik 07 Mar 2016 -- Germany's Tornado reconnaissance jets made about 150 flights in Syria as a part of the counter-terrorist operation in the country
Germany mulling troop deployment in Tunisia for training mission Press TV 21 Feb 2016 -- Germany is considering dispatching troops to Tunisia to allegedly help train soldiers in the fight against Daesh Takfiri group.
Germany Records Lowest Small Arms Exports in Over 15 Years Sputnik 19 Feb 2016 -- The export of small arms from Germany in 2015 amounted to $37.5 million in comparison to $52.2 million in 2014, according to German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel.
Defence Secretary welcomes deeper security relationship with Germany UK MOD 25 Jan 2016 -- Defence Secretary Michael Fallon discussed the strengthening of Britain's security ties with Germany when he met counterpart Ursula Von der Leyen in Berlin today, where the Ministers confirmed their shared vision for a closer and stronger partnership.
Germany hints at possible troop deployment to Libya Press TV 19 Jan 2016 -- Germany's defense minister says she does not rule out dispatching military forces to violence-wracked Libya, without clarifying the nature of the potential deployment.
The War Jets With a Fear of the Dark: German Tornados Grounded at Night Sputnik 19 Jan 2016 -- Germany's Tornado multirole aircraft are not capable of reconnaissance missions at night because their cockpit lighting is too bright after an update, a military source told German newspaper Das Bild.
Germany may dispatch troops near Libya, report says Press TV 09 Jan 2016 -- Germany plans to dispatch a military contingent to a location near Libya with the alleged mission of training the African country's army, a report says.
Germany Considers Deploying Troops Near Libya to Train Government Forces Sputnik 09 Jan 2016 -- Berlin is considering the deployment of between 150-200 troops near Libya to assist with the training of the Libyan armed forces, Der Spiegel reports, citing internal German army plans.
Germany to Deploy 4 Tornado Reconnaissance Jets in Turkey on Tuesday Sputnik 05 Jan 2016 -- Berlin is due to deploy four additional Tornado surveillance aircraft starting from Tuesday as part of an anti-terror operation in Syria.

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2016 Germany Special Weapons News