According to the data published by “Tagesschau”, which Bankier.pl appoints, last year's result outlined the previous record from 2023, of EUR 11.71 billion. Although it was originally estimated that the export would amount to EUR 13.2 billion, the final amount was slightly lower. Ukraine, which was in the center of German military supplies, received equipment worth EUR 8.15 billion.
According to German media, there were, among others 78 tanks, 306 armored vehicles, 316 rockets with rocket systems and 11 large caliber artillery systems. As indicated in the recent report, the armament sent to the Ukrainian front was one of the key pillars of German exports in 2024.
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War ships for EUR 1.5 billion
Not only Ukraine used the German arms. According to the presented statistics, which Bankier.pl writes, as much as 86 percent. Exports were directed to NATO countries and countries referred to by Berlin as “equivalent”. This group included Singapore, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and South Korea.
In 2024, the most expensive category in German exports were caterpillar and circular vehicles, whose sales brought EUR 4.36 billion. The next places were taken by bombs, torpedoes and rockets (EUR 2.88 billion), as well as war ships valued at EUR 1.5 billion. Countries referred to as third countries also had a significant share in German military equipment, ordering armament worth EUR 1.85 billion. It is worth noting, however, that the final report did not include orders placed by Israel, which was previously estimated at 161 million euros.
Variable decisions
Berlin's decisions regarding the export of weapons to Israel are variable due to the situation in the Gaza Strip. In August, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced the suspension of new supplies, but this decision did not affect already signed contracts, such as a contract with Thyssenkrupp for the supply of a submarine for half a billion euros. However, Germany remain one of the key suppliers of weapons for Israel, giving way only to the United States – according to the analyzes of the Stockholm International Institute of Pokój Research (SIPRI).
Berlin's policy in the field of sales of armaments remains restrictive. Each export application is considered individually, and in 2024 the German government rejected as many as 62 of them. This is a clear jump compared to 17 applications rejected a year earlier. Most of the negative decisions concerned orders from Pakistan, Malaysia and Thailand, which is confirmed by the data of the Ministry of Economy.
