A helicopter carrier for the German Navy?

[The Ronin]

The German Navy should acquire a helicopter carrier, a high-ranking German politician said as he stressed the need for the country to invest more in its defense.

Speaking to German newspaper Bild am Sonntag, Bavaria minister president Markus Söder said that the country should work harder toward the NATO goal of spending 2% on defense.

The additional billions of euros would allow for the procurement munitions, spares, and a helicopter carrier, among other items, he said.

The navy needs more functional warships to protect the country’s shipping lanes and a helicopter carrier should be a part of the fleet, Söder added, elaborating that the ship could be used in the ever-more-navigable Arctic waters and contribute to operations reaching as far as the South China Sea.

Germany has no history in operating helicopter carriers and the minister president provided little info on the specific kind of ship the navy could go for. Die Marine operates a fleet of 22 Westland Mk 88A Sea Lynx anti-submarine helicopters and Sea King Mk.41 search and rescue helicopters. Both assets will be replaced by modified versions of the NH90 helicopter.

The navy so far has not responded to the politician’s comments and there have been no indications as to which type helicopter carrier the country would go for.

Italy and Turkey are currently building landing helicopter dock ships capable of deploying amphibious vessels through their well decks. Such ships already in operation include France’s Mistral-class, Australia’s Canberra-class and Spain’s Juan Carlos I class.

The US Navy and Japan have more aviation-centric platforms in the form of JMSDF helicopter destroyers and US Navy landing helicopter assault (LHA) ships.

https://navaltoday.com/2019/09/17/a...QmKAJBFMKCOPhlKyPUd2intKJapbtlZZLhJOH6-3QcSVY

 

[denel]

Not going to happen; they can barely keep their tanks moving

 

[WarKa DaNG]

3rd Reich was much better than this Germany

 

[Ziggy1977]

then no reason for a LHD. most of their sea lanes are in the Baltic & North Seas. hardly the place of international contention.

it would be a waste of money.

South China Sea. that politican is clearing wanting Germany to help fight China. LOL LOL

 

[Georg]

Not going to happen; they can barely keep their tanks moving

there are no problems anymore with spare parts and repairs... currently the German Army recive one newly build armored tracked vehicle each week... Leo2 A7V and Puma..

After the radical reduction of military spending at the end of the Cold War Germany has dramaticly increased the Militray spendings in the last 4 years... a increase of 10 billion € in 4 years

2009 31.0 billion € ($ 34.3 billion)
2010 31.1 billion € ($ 34.4 billion)
2011 31.5 billion € ($ 34.85 billion)
2012 31.7 billion € ($ 35.07 billion)
2013 32.26 billion € ($ 35,69 billion)
2014 32.44 billion € ($ 35,88 billion)
2015 32.97 billion € ($ 36,47 billion)
2016 34.29 billion € ($ 37,92 billion)
2017 37.0 billion € ($ 41 billion)
2018 38.52 billion € ($ 42,61 billion)
2019 43.2 billion € ($ 48 billion)

if Germany increase its military spending to 2% of GDP it would spend 69 billion € (2018 GDP) = $ 76,33 billion

that would shoot Germany directly to 3 place in world wide spending way ahead India, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Frace

There is realy no need for that...and Germany does not need to defend trading routs on the other side of the world...