Germany's parliamentary budget committee has raised concerns over a planned tender for laser weapon development, halting a 25-million-euro proposal. Lawmakers demand a broader market survey, as costs appear disproportionately high compared to similar Dutch projects. Greens politician Sebastian Schäfer criticizes the expenses and potential benefits to the arms industry.
In Germany's Bundestag budget committee, significant concerns have arisen over the planned tender for developing a laser weapon. A 25-million-euro proposal from the Federal Ministry of Finance to award contracts to arms companies and MBDA has been halted by budget controllers, as reported by the portal "The Pioneer." This was confirmed to the German Press Agency from the committee. Lawmakers seek a more comprehensive market survey.
The budgeted costs are particularly scrutinized. The Netherlands acquired a 100-kilowatt demonstrator for 190 million euros, while Germany plans to develop a 60-kilowatt version for 462 million euros. Greens budget politician Sebastian Schäfer told "The Pioneer": "We have information that possibly other companies can deliver more performance for less money." He also voiced general criticism: "The industry happily divides the spoils among themselves, and the taxpayer of the future has to foot the bill."
Laser weapons are particularly suited for drone defense but remain far from science-fiction examples like those in "Star Wars." Rheinmetall and MBDA Deutschland have been cooperating since 2019 and developed a demonstrator. The product is expected to be market-ready by 2029. The project forms part of the Bundeswehr modernization, raising questions about costs and efficiency.
The decision highlights growing parliamentary oversight of defense spending to ensure efficient use of taxpayer money.
