Four years of Gepard in Ukraine: How the vintage German weapon is proving its worth

Germany announced the transportation of Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine soon aft Russia's full-scale penetration 4 years ago, marking the archetypal dense weapons of Western plan that Berlin supplied from its ain stocks.

On 26 April 2022, Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht confirmed the determination connected the sidelines of a gathering of astir 40 supporting states astatine Ramstein airbase.

The systems came from concern stocks and the export had been approved the time before, Lambrecht said astatine the time.

Germany has since delivered astatine slightest 55 Gepard systems to Ukraine, wherever they person go an integral portion of the country's aerial defence.

The announcement came soon aft Russian massacres successful Bucha became known pursuing the town's liberation by Ukrainian forces astatine the extremity of March 2022.

Before the commencement of Russia's full-scale invasion, Germany had offered to proviso 5,000 helmets to Ukraine — a effect that drew wide criticism.

The Gepard was the archetypal dense weaponry Germany delivered without a alleged ringing exchange, successful which Berlin would proviso weapons to a 3rd state that would past nonstop Soviet-type instrumentality to Ukraine.

Fifteen Gepard anti-aircraft guns were delivered successful July 2022.

'Best drone killer'

The Gepard has been labelled the "best drone killer" by respective Ukrainian media outlets.

Russia regularly fires much than 500 drones astatine Ukraine, astir of which are neutralised by aerial defence systems.

According to Ukrainian outlet Euromaidan Press, the Gepard plays a cardinal relation successful aerial defence owed to its operation of radar and 35mm cannons, which make a dense unreality of occurrence and tin reliably deed drones.

Air defence missiles specified arsenic Patriot oregon IRIS-T often outgo respective 100 1000 to respective cardinal dollars per deployment and are disposable successful constricted quantities.

The Gepard uses importantly cheaper 35mm ammunition and is truthful peculiarly suitable for defence against low-cost drones.

Germany resumed ammunition accumulation for the Gepard owed to export restrictions from Switzerland and precocious request from Ukraine.

Rheinmetall acceptable up its ain accumulation capacities successful Germany and has been producing caller ammunition since then.

The German defence institution volition proviso Ukraine with a further 180,000 rounds of 35mm Gepard ammunition, with deliveries scheduled to statesman successful 2026, according to Rheinmetall.

Why Germany phased it out

The Gepard was phased retired of the German Bundeswehr arsenic portion of post-Cold War reforms.

It was considered analyzable and costly to operate, peculiarly due to the fact that of its radar and fire-control exertion and specialised ammunition.

The Bundeswehr was nether governmental unit to trim expenditure and downsize its structures.

Scenarios for which the Gepard had been developed — specified arsenic defence against low-flying craft oregon combat helicopters successful accepted warfare — were considered progressively unlikely.

The absorption shifted to overseas missions specified arsenic successful Afghanistan, wherever ground-based aerial defence played small role.

The Army Air Defence Force was dissolved successful the aboriginal 2010s, and the Gepard mislaid its organisational anchoring wrong the Bundeswehr.

The Bundeswehr focused connected alternate aerial defence concepts, including lighter, much mobile solutions specified arsenic shoulder-launched missiles similar the Stinger.

It was lone with Russia's full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful 2022 that this determination was reassessed.

The monolithic deployment of drones and cruise missiles showed that susceptible short-range aerial defence systems proceed to play an important role.

The status of the Gepard had created a capableness gap, peculiarly successful cost-effective defence against drones — precisely the script successful which the strategy has proved peculiarly effective.

The Bundeswehr volition acquisition the Skyranger strategy for akin purposes successful the coming years, with astir 600 to beryllium procured.

This strategy is being built by Rheinmetall and is intended to fortify aerial defence, peculiarly against drones.