Ukraine's Defense Forces may be strengthened with an additional quantity of Marder infantry fighting vehicles this concerns Germany-initiated so-called "ring exchanges" [Ringtausch], which Chile wants to use by exchanging IFVs for Ukraine for air defense systems.
The Ringtausch is a mechanism where Germany facilitates triangular arms deals a country donates Soviet-era weapons to Ukraine, and Germany compensates them with modern Western equipment.
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As of today, it's known that Chile may offer up to 30 Marder IFVs in the 1A3 modification, as El Mostrador reports. However, no details of future cooperation are yet disclosed, and there are also no confirmations from official parties yet.
In this case, Chile would send Marders (which it originally purchased from Germany) to Ukraine, and receive German air defense systems in return. Chile acquired these Marder IFVs from Germany in the early 2000s as part of its military modernization program, but now faces more pressing air defense needs, making this exchange mutually beneficial for all parties involved.
It's also unknown what air defense systems and in what quantity Chile wants to exchange its Marder IFVs for. And therefore a question arises what is the situation with air defense that it decided to resort to such an exchange.
And if we refer to the Military Balance handbook and look at 2024 data, it turns out that the Chilean military indeed critically needs strengthening of its air defense capabilities.
Because if we don't take into account the air and naval components, we're talking only about Mistral-type air defense missile systems, as well as TCM-20 self-propelled anti-aircraft installations.
Regarding Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles in service with the Chilean military, as of last year there were 173 units.
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