With the support of simulation systems, they practice urban warfare and operations within the framework of international crisis management, but above all national and alliance defense. Since 2001, soldiers from the German Armed Forces and NATO allies have been training on the training grounds in Gardelegen. The Army Combat Training Center (GÜZ) in Saxony-Anhalt is one of the most modern training facilities in Europe. But it could soon lose this status.
The GÜZ is facing a change that could have a drastic effect on the training of army soldiers. The military training area is of central importance for the “war readiness” postulated by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD). According to his ministry, the area is of particular importance in the wake of the change of times announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). Nevertheless, the federal government has been arguing for several days about the future design of the training center.
Who should run the center?
For more than 20 years, the German Armed Forces have operated the GÜZ together with an industrial contractor. In 2019, the Swedish company Saab won the Europe-wide tender for the project, replacing the German company Rheinmetall. Not all members of the grand coalition at the time were happy with this. The SPD in particular was dissatisfied and pushed through a resolution stating that the GÜZ should be transferred to state hands after the contract with Saab expires as planned in February 2026.
The reasoning: Operation by an external service provider is more expensive than if the Bundeswehr organizes the center itself. However, the Federal Ministry of Defense came to the opposite conclusion in a cost-benefit analysis: the existing cooperation model is the most cost-effective. Therefore, a year ago the ministry asked in an internal paper to revoke the decision. In another letter from sources close to the ministry, it is also stated that it is planned that in future an in-house federal company will provide the support services for the combat training center.
There is no unity either in the traffic light coalition or within the SPD
“If the GÜZ is run solely by the Bundeswehr, it will initially be difficult to maintain the technological standards,” says SPD MP Herbert Wollmann. The problem: If the training center were nationalized, Saab would take the technology it brought with it – and the Bundeswehr might have to interrupt operations.
The opposition also sees this problem. Last week, the Union called on the federal government to “immediately take all measures to ensure the uninterrupted continued operation of the Army’s combat training center in Gardelegen after the current operating contract expires.” CDU budget politician Ingo Gädechens told the South German Newspaper: “We need uninterrupted operation of the GÜZ – especially in the coming years. Our generals are right to say that we are in a race with Russia. We must massively increase our deterrence potential in the coming years.”
The budget committee is expected to discuss the Union’s proposal on Wednesday. Coalition circles say that SPD politician Dennis Rohde in particular is opposed to the move. In response to an inquiry from SZ, he said that the SPD faction still expects the GÜZ to be transferred to a state-owned company after the contract period has expired. Criticism comes from coalition partner FDP: “For purely ideological reasons, something is being pushed through that endangers the operation of the GÜZ and jobs and harms the taxpayer,” said the FDP’s defense policy spokesman, Alexander Müller.