[Skybird]

In past hpurs Ger,mna media indeed said the govenrment had given export permissions for 100 howtzers that should be produced. But the German economy minmstr yuntil now refuses to comemnt and says it neitehr cionfiorms nor denies the reports.- Yetserday ARD and ZDF said that at the time of broadcasting there were no permission for exports given. They also said to produce a PZH2000 from first bureaucratic hurdle-taking to deliver it would take 2- 4 years.



In other words: a typical delay manouver of the Olaf of Bubbles.



The Ukriane also has ordere drtoe than just one ISIS systems for air defence that Bubble-Olaf promised them - and then delayed its delivery to Decembre, give and take some time. The Ukraine wa sinvited to orde rmore directly at the Ger,mna industry, and these orders were placed already weeks ago. The idnustzry now compolaisn that the chnacellors office refuses any communication regarding export permissions on these additional orders - since weeks.



There are some reports however that slowly mroe and more politicians consider the delivery of German MBTs from industry reserves. I tend to think that this woud amke sense. If the Russians have big problems with the vulnerabilities of T-72s, then the Ukrainians must have thes eproblems, too. The T-72 has such deep-rooting design and quality issues that they cannot be corrected by updates as seen in recent 20 years. And I find it hard to believe that it takes months and months to train tankers on Leopard-1s and 2s. There are big difefrence sin taregbtting optics and sensor handling, yes, you can check these in SBP wonderfully, but still: its no black magic. I think in can be done in not more time than it takes to train them on the PZH2000. A German tank general, retired said some weeks ago that in his time they learned to drive and shoot with the Leopard-1 in 1-2 weeks. In SBP at least I found firing with the Leopard-1 slightly more dem,anding than with the Leopard 2A4, and easiest with the Leopard 2A5. Its about the handling of the targetting aids in the optics. Aiming/shooting with the Leopard-2 in SBP is easier than in the Abrams. What I want to say with this,. is just this: I have a hard time to believe those hesitating sceptics who claim it takes months and months to train crews used to the T-72 to drive and fight with the Leopards, I do not believe this. The nonly limiting factor I consider is that the drivers tzraditionally are the ones who also must serve as repair engioneers int he field, when the tanbk has mechnaicla issues or lost a track. To fix such things on the fly, that to learn indeed may take more time and experience.



But it is not the right time to be picky.



Before you laugh about my comparison to SBP: some NATO countries have built training centres around that software, and that software alone compelte with intero9cnnected classrom training and hardware cabins.