Germany’s armed forces in a ‘worst state than ever’, says chief inspector

Almost nine months after German chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a “watershed” defence investment fund worth €100 billion, leading military figures say Germany’s Bundeswehr (armed forces) are in a worse state than ever.

Armed forces chief inspector Lieut Gen Alfons Mais said equipment transfers to Ukraine, combined with new Nato obligations in the Baltic region, had left Germany’s military stretched in all directions.

He said it was “completely understandable in the current situation” that Germany had transferred weapons from its own stores to Ukraine.

“But it will take a while before we get this material replaced so there is less than before the start of the war,” he said. “On some days I’m not even sure if it has reached all corners of the army what the ‘watershed’ actually means... the Bundeswehr is still not prepared for country or alliance defence.”

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In the 1980s West Germany’s armed forces had 12 divisions, with 36 brigades and more than 7,000 tanks. Lieut Gen Mais said today’s Bundeswehr – with three divisions of 15,000 soldiers and about 1,000 armoured vehicles available – was unable to take on an extended military mission.

Of particular concern, he said, was Germany’s lack of heavy artillery: just 100 self-propelled guns and 40 rocket launchers, of which only some are ready for use on any given day.

Compounding material and manpower shortages was a need to adapt to changed strategic needs – away from two decades of desert patrols and military training in Afghanistan and, potentially, back to traditional land warfare in Europe.

On February 27th, three days after Russia invaded Ukraine, Mr Scholz announced the special military investment fund to underwrite an “effective, highly modern, progressive army that protects us reliably”.

Federal minister for defence Christine Lambrecht reiterated that commitment in September, saying Germany’s “size, geographic location, and economic power – in short, its weight – make us a leading power, whether we like it or not”.

The minister acknowledged that, even after February’s “watershed” promises, this year’s unchanged regular budget is worth less in real terms given “inflation doesn’t pass by the defence ministry either”.

Among the spending priorities for 2023 is €1.1 billion for additional munition; one leading defence consultant has suggested that Germany’s current munition stores would be exhausted after two days of traditional warfare.

Despite additional money, Bundeswehr officials complain that nothing has happened to change old, inefficient procurement structures.

In addition, long order times from suppliers mean that German soldiers can, by year end, hope for new uniforms, helmets, night-vision goggles and, after that, digital radio equipment. Bigger-ticket deliveries – of drones, armed Puma vehicles or new helicopters – may not arrive before 2029.

On Friday, Ms Lambrecht unveiled a new memorial outside Berlin to the 59 German soldiers who lost their lives in Germany’s 20-year Afghanistan mission.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, one-third of Germans say they have a more positive image of the Bundeswehr, while for 17 per cent their opinion has worsened, with younger people more likely to be sceptical than older generations.