New German government documents, seen by Politico, show that Berlin is preparing an unprecedented upgrade of its military capabilities. A procurement plan worth over 377 billion euros is intended to transform the Bundeswehr into the main driving force of European defense and strengthen the position of the national defense industry. This is stated in the Politico article, writes UNN.
Details
Back in May, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced his intention to create "the strongest conventional army in Europe." Now, five months later, the Chancellor is ready to provide these words with a real technical basis – through a large-scale procurement program designed for decades to come.
According to the 39-page plan, the Bundeswehr plans to acquire the latest weapon systems in the ground, air, sea, space, and cyber domains. The document will form the basis of the 2026 defense budget, but many items will be long-term in nature with no clearly defined implementation deadlines.
377 billion euros for a new type of army
In the next budget cycle, more than 320 new projects are planned to be launched, of which 178 already have identified contractors. The lion's share of the funds – approximately 182 billion euros – is directed to German manufacturers, which emphasizes Berlin's desire to rely on its own defense-industrial complex.
The undisputed leader of future contracts is Rheinmetall. The company is involved in 53 projects worth over 88 billion euros, including the Puma and Boxer combat vehicle programs, as well as the Skyranger 30 air defense systems.
Betting on drones and space
Special attention is paid to unmanned systems – from armed Israeli Heron TP to tactical LUNA NG and uMAWS marine drones. Their acquisition is estimated at hundreds of millions of euros.
But a real breakthrough is expected in space: more than 14 billion euros are planned to be invested in satellite programs, including the creation of a new low-orbit communication group worth 9.5 billion euros. This is part of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius' strategy for the development of "space security" worth 35 billion euros.
Germany is betting on long-term and systemic rearmament, striving not only to modernize the Bundeswehr but also to restore its own role as a leader in European security. If the plan is implemented, the German military could become the most developed and powerful in Europe.
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