The German newspaper Bild reported that Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen had requested a 12 billion euro ($14.6 billion) increase to the country's military budget, which currently stands at 39 billion euros ($47.3 billion).
With German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz foreseeing a rise in defense spending of 5.5 billion euros ($6.6 billion) by 2021, the Defense Ministry slammed Scholz as "inadequate in view of the huge accumulated needs and required modernization, particularly in the medium term."
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Bild cited Von der Leyen as saying that if the defense budget fails to get a hefty boost, she will scrap at least one international armaments project slated for 2019, including a planned submarine deal with Norway and the purchase of six C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
Her remarks came after German Bundeswehr Association Lieutenant Colonel Andre Wustner said that Germany's defense budget should grow by 15 billion euros ($18.2 billion) by 2021 or the country might face "unforeseen consequences in the field of state security."
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The move comes amid reports that the German army has been suffering equipment and staff shortages, something that is specifically related to its Tornado combat jets and Leopard 2 tanks which are in a poor and "outdated" state.
Right now, Germany has the world's ninth-highest defense budget, which, however, is still out of line with US President Donald Trump's ultimatum that NATO members should meet the defense spending target of 2 percent of GDP.
