On July 21, 2021 the German Defense Minister presented the newly founded space command of the Bundeswehr ...




The real thing about the news is:

Almost everything is lacking in our army, there are German tanks that drive into NATO maneuvers with dummy cannons made of painted broomsticks (NO kidding!)...





... but they really founded a "space command" .

Maybe like this...?




Cheers

Ours isn't much better nowadays. They have just spent millions on a tank that the crew can't occupy for more than a few minutes due to excess vibration. Old sweats must remember the FV432 - that beggar vibrated your teeth loose!

Not to mention the diesel fumes which used to put you to sleep within minutes if you were sitting in the back!

I see the Red Arrows are looking for a new mount from 2030 and there is horror among opposition politicians that they might end up with something "foreign". Ironic really, since most of the UK's military kit is of foreign design and only built here from bits under licence. The opposition defence spokesman (he was Defence Secretary in their last government) says it is essential to preserve the integrity of the Red Arrows by them having a UK designed replacement for the BAe Hawks, which cease production next year. Won't happen, and the RAs will end up with second-hand D-D Alphajets .

I got to see the Red Arrows perform at an Air Show at Aviano Air Base ( where I spent two wonderful years in 82 and 83) , they did a great job and I got to meet the crews since I was working the flight line. Great bunch of fellows. We had beer that night..

I only ever drove or commanded 432's and don't ever recall riding in the back, seems I had a lucky escape!
The petrol ones we used at Suffield in Canada were really clatty bits of kit.

Happy days

Bill

The picture of the broomstick ist dated from Sept 2014 and the vehicle was used as a command vehicle - nevertheless there was a lack of weapons for the weapon station of the Boxer vehicle that was part of the quick response force of the Nato.
At that time our female minister of defence Ursula von der Leyen enjoyed to take pictures like this


while airplanes of the army were grounded due to severe technical problems.
She is even incapable to put on shoulder boards the right way round during a promotion
https://twitter.com/nopeblau/status/977910080111874048
(and now runs the EU...and escaped by this change an investigation against herself about corruption within her ministry.)

These blunders would not have happened to politicians of the past that did not shy away from moral bombing etc.
Let`s hope these idiots in office are part of the secret masterplan to eternal peace...

So, is A K-K doing a better job than U vd L did? I think I might know the answer to that

I once made the mistake of sleeping in the back of a petrol-driven Mk.1 FV 432. Woke up in the morning with a splitting headache due to the fumes I’d inhaled all night, which took over 12 hours to abate……
Lesson learned? Never sleep in a 432, either by accident or design.