defense
Military reform: Bundeswehr receives new command structure
In new defense policy guidelines, Pistorius proclaimed “warworthiness as a maxim for action”. photo
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
“Warworthiness” is the declared goal. The Defense Minister now wants to make his decision on a new command structure public.
With a changed command structure, the… The Bundeswehr will become more capable of acting militarily: Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will present his decision for reform today. On the SPD politician’s table are working papers that provide for a joint operational command and four branches of the armed forces – the army, air force, navy and cyber and information space (CIR).
Depending on the minister’s decision, the medical service and the so-called armed forces base – which includes logistics, military police and NBC defense – could lose their independence.
In November last year, at the Bundeswehr conference, Pistorius proclaimed “warworthiness as a maxim for action” in new defense policy guidelines. He said that Inspector General Carsten Breuer and a state secretary should also look at the structures of the Bundeswehr itself and explicitly also at command commands. “Please consider this my clear marching orders,” he said to the generals. Pistorius wants to take action against double structures that hinder and hold each other back.
Command posts in Berlin and Brandenburg
The Bundeswehr has previously had an operations command in Schwielowsee near Potsdam for planning and controlling foreign operations such as in West Africa or now with the frigate “Hessen” in the Red Sea. In addition, a territorial command for national defense was created in Berlin, in which the operational plan (“OPLAN”) for the national defense of Germany was also developed. The two positions have very different tasks, but also some possible overlap.
Against the background of Russia’s aggression and the growing threat of war for Germany, Pistorius has given the order to question the existing command structure and align it with the requirements of contemporary national and alliance defense, the Defense Ministry said. The goal is a “war-ready Bundeswehr”. The ability to grow and agility as well as digitalization and openness to innovation were mentioned as guiding principles.
The number of soldiers has recently fallen
It is also expected with interest whether and how the minister will comment on the Bundeswehr’s personnel targets. The Bundeswehr’s so-called personnel offensive has not made any progress in recent years and the number of soldiers has recently fallen to 181,500. The stated goal so far has been for the Bundeswehr to grow to 203,000 soldiers by 2031 – now also against the background of the new dangers posed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.