Germany to Become Europe's "Strong Army": Number of Active Duty Personnel Doubles Within Ten Years
Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Germany has repeatedly sent signals of military expansion. According to a report by "Politico" on September 12, a classified memo obtained by the media shows that the German military is urgently calling for a significant expansion of its forces by 2029 and beyond. Within the next ten years, the number of active duty positions will nearly double, and the number of homeland defense forces will more than triple, aiming to become the main force of Europe.
In this memo, General Alphonse Mais, Chief of the German Army, warned that the current level of manpower in Germany is far from sufficient according to the new NATO 2035 planning goals.
General Mais proposed an overall plan for military expansion: within the next ten years, the number of active duty positions will nearly double, and the number of homeland defense forces will more than triple. The document submitted earlier this month to the Ministry of Defense and the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr states that only a significantly expanded army can give Germany the credibility to deter adversaries and be able to cope with high-intensity wars alongside allies.
According to the German Ministry of Defense, as of July 21, Germany had approximately 183,100 active-duty personnel, an increase of about 2,000 compared to the same period last year.
The military memo stated that currently, the German armed forces have 62,000 active-duty personnel and 37,000 non-active-duty personnel. By 2029, the German military needs to have about 90,000 active-duty positions and 64,000 non-active-duty positions. The German Army expects to need an additional 45,000 active-duty positions and 15,000 non-active-duty positions by 2035 and beyond.
One of the key focuses of this military expansion is the German Homeland Defense Command. According to the "German Organization Plan," the size of the command will increase to about 138,000 by 2029, including at least 9,500 additional active-duty personnel. This will make the homeland defense forces the largest single component of the German Army in the future.
This military expansion is directly related to the new NATO troop planning goals. At the NATO summit held in The Hague this June, member states reached a consensus that countries should be prepared to deal with large-scale, high-tech conflicts with Russia and other adversaries.
Other NATO countries, such as Poland, are also rapidly expanding their military forces.
General Mais pointed out that the German military needs to adapt to the "anti-access/area denial" field, integrate unmanned systems and robotic systems, and maintain sufficient personnel and equipment reserves.
He warned that the current structure of the German military is far from meeting the needs. To achieve these goals, it not only requires increasing the number of troops but also reorganizing the training system, establishing new conscription models, and obtaining sustained political support.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843142534693895/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.