The German Armed Forces, popularly known as the Bundeswehr, is categorized
into the Army, the Marine (German Navy), and the Luftwaffe (German Air Force).
With a staggering €37 billion military expenditure in 2017, Germany
is ranked as the 9th highest in the world out of the 133 countries.
The German government according to the series of announcements it made in
the last two years has set up a clear path to increase its military power
by spending €130 billion on new arms and ammunitions by the end
of 2030 and also increase its personnel count by 20,000 by 2024.
Initially, the role of the Bundeswehr was strictly restricted to defense only.
But after the ruling in 1994, the term ‘defense’ has been broadened
to include not just protection of the borders of Germany
but also prevention of conflict and retaliation to a crisis,
and to guard the security of the nation anywhere in the world.
History
World War II played a major turning point in the history of German Armed Forces.
Post World War II, the security of Germany was
completely dependent on the four Allied Powers
i.e. the United States, the United Kingdom, France and the then Soviet Union.
After the Nazi forces were dissolved Germany
was without any military force of its own.
Even after the Federal Republic of Germany was formed in 1949
remilitarization was forbidden by the Allied regulations.
Even the few naval mine sweeping units that were available were all under the control
of the Allied forces and not helpful for Germany from a national security standpoint.
With the amendments to the Basic Laws, West Germany was given entry into NATO.
The following year the Unites States helped build
Bundeswehr its initial equipments and arms.
The same year conscripts were reintroduced for all
men between the age group of 18 and 45 years.
In response, East Germany worked on its own military; this was later
dissolved when Germany was reunited into the Federal Republic of Germany.
The force was depended on the old soldiers who had served under the Nazi
military but this didn’t come in way of the operations of the new military force
since Bundeswehr didn’t consider itself as a successor of the Nazi military.
Defense system
The fifth largest exporter of major arms and ammunitions in the world from 2012-2016,
Germany has a very strong military backbone that has led many to speculate
if it will soon become a bigger military than Russia.
The Ministry of Defense has charge of the Bundeswehr
during peacetimes but as soon as the situation
becomes tense the charge moves to the Chancellor who
become the commander in chief of the Bundeswehr.
Luftwaffe is the fourth largest Air Force, comes after the
United Kingdom, France, and Italy, in the European Union.
It boasts as one of the best equipped forces in the world.
The German Navy, apart from protecting its territorial waters, sea routes, and maritime
infrastructure, is involved in peacekeeping operations,
anti-piracy operations, and disaster relief.
Military structure
An estimated 178,000 service members were recruited as of 2017.
Women were only part of the medical services since 1975.
In 1993, women were given roles of non-commissioned
officers and enlisted personnel in army bands.
Since 2001 women were given a choice to serve in any
of the Armed Forces branches without any restrictions.
As on last year, about 19000 female soldiers were recruited for active duty.
German Army is headed by the Inspector of the Army.
The rapid forces division and the Franco-German Brigade for the
combat units supervised directly by the Inspector of the Army.
German Navy is headed by Inspector of the Navy and supported by the Navy Command.
Likewise, the German Air force is led by the Inspector of the Air Force
that supervises the Air Operations Center and Air Force Forces Command.
Luftwaffe the German Air Force has 169 Attack Aircrafts, 92 Fighter Aircrafts,
345 Transport Aircrafts, 47 Trainer Aircrafts, and 47 Attack Helicopters.
The Army is equipped with 5,869 Armored Fighting Vehicles,
154 Self Propelled Artillery, and 50 Rocket Projectors.
Marine, the German Navy, owns 13 Mine Warfare Vessels, 10 Frigates, 6 Submarines,
5 Corvettes and 4 Patrol Crafts making the total
displacement of the Navy at 220,000 tonnes.
Nuclear Weaponry
Germany doesn’t have its own nuclear weapon but under the NATO’s
nuclear sharing program it has access to NATO’s nuclear arms.
This program involves those members who do not have their own
nuclear arms into the planning and use of NATO’s nuclear arsenal;
in turn, the countries will provide their man force who can
deliver the weapons in case such an action is warranted.
Under the nuclear sharing agreement, the United States still shares
nuclear weapons with Germany for hypothetical use by the Luftwaffe.
Current state of affairs
Around mid last year, Germany, Romania, and the Czech Republic threw in a
rude awakening by announcing the integration of their military forces.
A very carefully and politically thought out step
that almost effortlessly swerved all the bureaucracy
and possible NATO rivalry that would arise in case
EU and its countries decide to form an EU army.
Though an EU army is far-fetched it may look like the initial
spark that’s required for any big thing to take shape.
At the time when not many countries in EU are willing to even consider this option,
it is also not clear what role such an army will have and which existing roles
each country will have to give up maintaining and advancing the EU army.
Under this new framework structure that Germany
has initiated, Germans can improve their
land forces which will also give them a better
political and military control within NATO.
The current spending of 1.4% of its GDP for Defense is a far lower
level of spending as compared to the NATO’s benchmark of 2%.
This will be their opportunity to build military standing.
The German military power is steadily reviving and gaining strength which is a good
thing for Germany considering the challenges it has to face from ISIS, Russia etc.