14.4 billion euros instead of planned 1.5 billion: Destructive report on replacement heavy army vehicles
It is about the purchase of 382 new French Griffon and 60 Jaguar-Pantservies. The Michel government provided 1.5 billion euros for this in 2018, based on figures from Defense. Agreements have been made in the purchase agreement about the purchase, training and training courses, but not for ammunition, operating and maintenance costs, « while that aspect is crucial in the long term and in general duration, » said the Court of Audit.
In the plans of Defense, extra costs for the « commissioning » of that equipment are taken into account, but too accurately it is not addressed. It also appears that renovation costs, which are needed in many barracks to park the vehicles, are not included. However, they run high: in Leopoldsburg and Marche-en-Famenne together up to 230 million euros, in the new barracks to be built in East Flanders up to 225 million and in Charleroi to 216 million euros.
« The Court of Audit notes that Defense has not made a formal analysis of the risks, (… not either) in connection with the control of the prices for the purchase of equipment, spare parts and ammunition from the French supplier, » the public broadcaster quotes from the particularly strict confidential report of the Court of Audit.
The Ministry of Defense defends itself in the report by stating that « no technical data was available to calculate the operation, maintenance and cost prices of spare parts and ammunition ». However, Defense was able to give more budgetary details and predictions in other major purchase files.
According to the Court of Audit, Defense has therefore taken « a budgetary risk ». « Correct information from the government and the parliament (is) essential so that all factors that lead to additional costs, as soon as they can be estimated, are eligible (can) be taken, » is the conclusion of the Court of Audit.
« The army has let the French roll, » VRT NWS quotes a source close to the file. « If you count everything together, this will be one of the most expensive capacities of the armed forces. Much more expensive than, for example, the much-discussed replacement of the F-16s by 34 F-35s. »
Hearing in Chamber Committee
Opposition party Groen wants a hearing in the Defense Chamber Committees and Army Purchasing in response to the news that the purchase of French armored vehicles has turned out to be ten times more expensive than planned. « We must absolutely avoid that the Ministry of Defense blunders again with the purchase of new material, » says MP Staf Aerts.
Groen wants the Defense Safe to be heard for this in the parliament in the short term. « We are on the eve of a massive investment in Defense. It is absolutely to be avoided that the money is thrown again by doors and windows. The billions that the government now foresees must be invested well, » said Aerts.
Open VLD Member of Parliament Kjell Vander Elst asks in a letter to the chairman of the National Defense Committee of the Chamber to raise the report of the Court of Audit. Vander Elst emphasizes that a rapid and transparent treatment of this file is essential: « At a time when it is searched for extra billions to get the NATO standard, the size of the derailments in this file is simply absurd. The parliament must be able to fully play. »
The De Wever government wants to accelerate the NATO standard of 2 percent of GDP for defense expenditure, but has not yet decided which investments it will make for that. Minister of Budget Vincent van Peteghem (CD&V) already repeatedly suggested creating a so -called Fast Lane in budget for defense files. Green already warned about the risks of this, given the poor track record of Defense in this area in the past.
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