Tag

Bundeswehr

All articles tagged with #bundeswehr

world16 days ago•1 min saved

Drones seen over German base as Leipzig airport bomb probe unfolds

Two drones were spotted over a Bundeswehr base in Mechernich near Bonn, days after a drone-laden device was found at Leipzig/Halle airport; the base reportedly houses Patriot missile components, and military police were deployed before handing the matter to local police. The incidents match a wider pattern of drone activity near European military sites amid support for Ukraine, with Germany calling such actions a form of hybrid warfare and investigators probing the drones’ origins.

via BBC|

#bundeswehr #drones #germany

europe17 days ago•3 min saved

Drones spotted over German military base as authorities probe explosive incident

Two drones were seen flying around 10 p.m. Thursday over the western Mechernich-based Bundeswehr base in Germany, with military police deployed and an investigation opened. The event comes days after an explosive drone was found at Leipzig-Halle Airport, a major cargo hub linked to Antonov Airlines and NATO's SALIS, underscoring heightened concerns about drone activity near critical infrastructure amid tensions related to Russia's war in Ukraine.

via Euronews.com|

#bundeswehr #drones #europe

world2 months ago•10 min saved

Germany’s New Military Strategy Signals Ambition, But Lacks Urgency

Germany’s new military strategy is criticized as more political analysis than a concrete plan: it foregrounds Russia as the primary threat, urges Europe to assume a larger defense role within NATO, and highlights multi-domain warfare, AI, and drones, but offers vague timelines (defense readiness by 2029, full strength by 2039), no concrete force-building targets, and few structural reforms for the Bundeswehr. The piece argues for urgent action—potential conscription or other rapid measures—and for translating analysis into tangible modernization and procurement steps, or risk failing to deter threats or lead Europe as promised.

via War on the Rocks|

#bundeswehr #conscription #european-defense

world3 months ago•4 min saved

US Colonel Joins German Army Command to Deepen NATO Ties

Germany will host a U.S. colonel as deputy head of the German Army Command’s Operations Division starting October, a rare deep integration intended to boost German-American interoperability for NATO. The move signals closer defense cooperation even as political ties between Merz and Trump show strains, reflecting a broader European shift to take more defense responsibility amid U.S. force posture recalibration.

via politico.eu|

#bundeswehr #germany-us-relations #military-interoperability

politics3 months ago•4 min saved

Germany speeds up defence budget to beat NATO deadline

Germany plans to raise defence spending to about €144.9bn in 2027—roughly a 20% jump from 2026—to hit NATO’s 3.5% of GDP core military outlay years ahead of schedule; the move follows suspending the constitutional debt brake and creating a €500bn fund for infrastructure, with about €11.5bn of next year’s total earmarked for Ukraine, as Berlin pursues a larger, modernised Bundeswehr.

via Financial Times|

#bundeswehr #defence-spending #germany

world4 months ago•7 min saved

Germany Unveils Its First National Military Strategy Focused on Speed, Precision and Deep Strikes

Germany's defence minister Boris Pistorius unveiled the Bundeswehr's first national military strategy, shifting to capability-based planning with a focus on speed, air defence, long-range precision strikes, and greater use of AI. The plan calls for a significant expansion to 460,000 personnel (active plus reserves) and a more agile bureaucracy, with deep-strike assets like long-range missiles to hit targets behind front lines; many details remain secret and the strategy is described as a living document responsive to evolving threats and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

via Euronews.com|

#bundeswehr #defence #germany

world4 months ago•4 min saved

Germany shifts defense to Europe, plans 460,000-strong Bundeswehr to deter Russia

Germany unveiled a three-phase plan to rely more on Europe and less on the United States, aiming to make the Bundeswehr the strongest conventional force in Europe. Phase 1 (through 2029) maximizes readiness; Phase 2 (to 2035) expands capabilities toward NATO targets; Phase 3 (to 2039) pursues technological superiority. The strategy also calls for expanding personnel to at least 460,000 (active and reserve) and shifting to effects-based planning, with greater European burden-sharing within NATO while keeping the U.S. as an essential ally.

via politico.eu|

#bundeswehr #european-defense #germany

defense4 months ago•3 min saved

Germany maps path to becoming Europe’s leading military power by 2039

Germany unveiled a sweeping 20-year overhaul for the Bundeswehr, including its first standalone military strategy, a flexible capability profile, and a large ramp-up of personnel and reserves aimed at making Germany Europe’s strongest conventional force by 2039. Framed around a ‘Responsibility for Europe’ doctrine, it treats Russia as the top threat and adopts a ‘one theater’ view across Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific, shifting from rigid hardware quotas to effects-based planning (long-range strike, air defense, drones). The plan envisions active troops rising to about 260,000 and reserves to 200,000 (total ~460,000), with conscription a fallback if targets aren’t met, plus an EMA26 modernization drive to cut bureaucracy and boost AI-enabled administration. Implementation will face global procurement constraints and changing demand for air-defense systems.

via Defense News|

#bundeswehr #conscription #defense

world6 months ago•6 min saved

Baltic Tensions: Hybrid Pressure Mounts on German Forces in Lithuania

Russia is increasing hybrid pressure on EU/NATO forces in Lithuania, using surveillance drones, airspace violations and psychological operations against the German Bundeswehr stationed there. NATO Baltic air policing and German-led defense efforts are responding, while experts note the legal grey area around such actions and the aim to unsettle troops rather than trigger a conventional attack.

via Euronews.com|

#airspace-incursions #bundeswehr #hybrid-warfare

world7 months ago•6 min saved

Elite German Paratroopers in Far-Right Scandal Over Harassment and Drugs

Public prosecutors are examining more than a dozen allegations against soldiers in the 26th Parachute Regiment, including sexual harassment, drug use and Nazi-style uniforms, prompting leadership changes and a values-focused reform push as Germany seeks to bolster the Bundeswehr.

via Financial Times|

#bundeswehr #drugs #far-right

world8 months ago•2 min saved

Thieves Steal Large Ammunition Shipment from German Military

Thieves stole approximately 20,000 rounds of ammunition from a Bundeswehr delivery truck in Burg, Saxony-Anhalt, after the driver made an unplanned stop at a hotel. The German Defense Ministry is investigating, blaming the driver for the breach, and noting recent similar incidents in the region.

via dw.com|

#ammunition-theft #bundeswehr #germany

politics1 year ago•9 min saved

Germany Advances Military Service Reforms Amid Security Concerns

Germany's cabinet has approved a bill to enhance military recruitment through voluntary service, aiming to increase troop numbers and strengthen national security amid geopolitical tensions, including the threat from Russia. The government is also establishing a National Security Council to improve crisis response and strategic planning.

via dw.com|

#bundeswehr #germany #military-service

international-relations2 years ago•2 min saved

"Germany Probes Leaked Discussions on Ukraine War and Possible Military Actions"

Germany's Defense Ministry confirmed the authenticity of a leaked recording of a confidential discussion between high-ranking Bundeswehr officers regarding the war in Ukraine, intercepted and leaked by Russian state media. The audio includes discussions about Taurus cruise missiles and supplying Ukrainians with targeting information, prompting concerns about potential pressure from Russia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described it as a "very serious matter," while Russian state broadcaster RT's head published the audio. The incident has raised alarm among German lawmakers, with demands for investigation and explanations, and Russia claiming it as evidence of a "hybrid war" the West is waging on Russia.

via DW (English)|

#audio-leak #bundeswehr #germany

international-relations2 years ago•2 min saved

Germany Investigates Alleged Russian Wiretapping of Bundeswehr Ukraine Talks

The German Ministry of Defense confirmed the authenticity of a leaked audio recording of high-ranking Bundeswehr officers discussing the war in Ukraine, intercepted and leaked by Russian state media. The conversation included discussions about supplying Ukrainians with targeting information and the potential use of Taurus cruise missiles. German lawmakers expressed alarm over the incident, with concerns about potential pressure from Russia and implications for Germany's involvement in the conflict. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far refused to send the Taurus missiles to Ukraine, citing concerns about direct or indirect participation in the war.

via DW (English)|

#audio-leak #bundeswehr #germany

international-relations3 years ago•1 min saved

EU Approves Historic Deal to Boost Ammunition Production for Ukraine

The budget committee of Germany's Bundestag has approved the procurement of additional ammunition for the Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzer, Leopard 2 main battle tank, and Puma infantry fighting vehicle. The move aims to meet the needs of the German armed forces, support Ukraine, and replace ammunition stocks previously sent to Kyiv. Germany has been providing significant amounts of ammunition to Ukraine since the start of the war against Russian invaders, but the demand remains high.

via Ukrinform|

#ammunition #bundeswehr #germany