On 8 December 2023, the German government announced a new military aid package to Ukraine.
Germany supports Ukraine by supplying equipment and weapons from the stockpiles of the Federal Armed Forces of Germany and from deliveries from industry financed by the German Federal Government, according to the German government’s statement.
The new military aid package includes the following:
- 1,750 155-mm artillery shells;
- One LUNA NG reconnaissance system;
- Ten VECTOR reconnaissance drones;
- Six border patrol vehicles;
- Eight Zetros trucks;
- 100,000 first aid kits and medical supplies;
- 70 MGW automatic grenade launchers, etc.
This was the first time Germany supplied Ukraine with a modern LUNA NG unmanned aerial reconnaissance system. The LUNA NG system comprises a ground control station, the launch catapult, optional net equipment for catching the drones when they land, and equipment for rapid repair. The entire system is mounted on a MAN HX truck. The LUNA NG drones have a modular design and can be equipped with electro-optical and infrared surveillance equipment.
In addition, the design of LUNA NG unmanned aerial vehicles allows the installation of radar reconnaissance and electronic warfare equipment. Due to the high-stability design, LUNA NG reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles can fly for over 12 hours.
When fitted with special optional equipment, the LUNA NG drones have a datalink range of up to 300 kilometers, according to Militarnyi, a Ukrainian military OSINT group. The flight speed of LUNA NG drones is 80-150 kilometers per hour, and the flight range exceeds 150 kilometers.
Funding for the military assistance to Ukraine amounts to 5.4 billion Euros for 2023 (after 2 billion Euros for 2022). Part of these funds will be used to refill the German Armed Forces stocks for items delivered to Ukraine, as well as for Germany’s contributions to the European Peace Facility, the German government reported.
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