BERLIN (Reuters) – The German air force looks set to be the biggest beneficiary of a 100-billion-euro ($110.35 billion) special fund for the country’s military, two defence sources told Reuters on Friday.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in a major policy shift for the country after decades of attrition of the armed forces, pledged to sharply increase defence spending and inject 100 billion euros into the Bundeswehr after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The money is earmarked for ramping up the German military’s readiness, mainly by buying weapons and equipment that troops have so far lacked.
The defence sources said some 40 billion euros are earmarked for the air force and 27 billion euros will be spent on upgrading command and control capabilities, including the purchase of modern radios.
The army will get 17 billion euros and the navy 10 billion euros, according to the sources. The figures may still change in the course of the discussions between Scholz, Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht and chief of defence Eberhard Zorn.
The next meeting to discuss the fund is expected to take place at the chancellery on Monday, one source said.
Since Scholz’s landmark speech on Feb. 27, three days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, his government has announced the purchase of F-35 fighter jets from the United States and said it is aiming to buy a missile defence system.
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(Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Editing by Joseph Nasr and Frances Kerry)