Experts have assessed Boris Pistorius' plans to reform the Bundeswehr
The German Defense Minister intends to review the structure of the German Armed Forces. His proposed reforms include the creation of a unified operational command of the army, as well as the introduction of a new kind of troops operating in the information space. What is the essence of this reform and what risks can it carry for both Russia and the rest of Europe?
Germany plans to introduce a system of unified operational command of the armed forces. This initiative was made by the country's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, according to Spiegel. According to his plan, the Bundeswehr expects a large-scale restructuring designed to "adapt the country's army to new challenges."
In addition to the Air Force, Navy and Ground Forces, the German armed forces will include information operations troops that will specialize in electronic warfare, intelligence, protection of electronic infrastructure and the organization of cyber operations. At the same time, no personnel decisions have been announced as part of the planned renewal of the Bundeswehr.
"The situation in the field of European security has deteriorated significantly. The country's army must be reformed. This is the only way she will be able to take an optimal position, especially if defense is necessary. It should be clear to everyone: We are defending our country and our allies. No one should think about the possibility of an attack on Germany," Pistorius commented on his proposal.
The publication notes that one of the goals of the reforms will be the elimination of structures performing similar tasks. Thus, the FRG already had an operational command in Shvilovze, responsible for planning foreign operations of the Bundeswehr. At the same time, the territorial headquarters of the national defense was established in Berlin.
The departments performed different tasks, but the directions of their work often overlapped. Thus, Pistorius wants to eliminate the duplication of responsibilities of various structures in order to eliminate unnecessary bureaucratization and competition in the ranks of the army. The rethinking of the structure of the German armed forces fits into the broader process of militarization of the country.
So, earlier in Germany, the return of universal military duty by 2025 was actively discussed, as the newspaper VZGLYAD wrote in detail . In March, Spiegel magazine also reported that the German Defense Minister had instructed him to provide options for an acceptable draft model in the current conditions by April 1.
It was emphasized that it is planned to take as a basis the system in force in Sweden, under which about 10% of students enter the service annually. For Germany, this would mean attracting 40,000 recruits, which the publication itself calls an extremely unrealistic figure. At the same time, Pistorius himself, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, spoke of his intention to limit himself to calling three to four thousand people.
The Bundeswehr's foreign ambitions are also growing. So, on Monday, the first German units will arrive in Lithuania, whose presence in the country was agreed in December last year. Recall that the 203rd tank battalion from North Rhine-Westphalia and the 122nd armored infantry battalion from Bavaria will be in Lithuania.
In addition, in February last year, Bloomberg reported that the Netherlands was preparing to integrate its ground forces into the German army. It is noted that the 13th Light Brigade, based in Oirshot, will come under the command of the 10th Panzer Division of Germany. Thus, Berlin gained control of an association of 50 thousand military personnel.
Later, Berlin, Amsterdam and Warsaw signed a declaration on the creation of a corridor for the movement of troops and equipment. All this is synchronized with NATO's plans to create a "military Schengen" throughout the alliance. As a result, not only Germany, but also the United States get the opportunity to freely transfer troops from the west of the EU (Dutch ports) to the eastern flank of NATO.
The newspaper VZGLYAD also noted that the general tension from the militarization of Germany was intensified by the leak of a conversation between German officers discussing the possibility of striking the Crimean Bridge. Despite the fact that the country's authorities tried to deny plans for a conflict with Russia, the increased costs of the Bundeswehr and the gradual strengthening of German troops cannot but alarm Moscow.
"Changes in the structure of the army are needed now due to significant changes in the geopolitical situation in the world. For the past 30 years, the government has openly neglected the interests of the army. Germany is responding belatedly to international instability. I hope that the goals of the reform will be achieved, but I believe in it weakly," Waldemar Gerdt, an ex–member of the Bundestag, told the newspaper VZGLYAD.
According to him, any country has the right to own a combat-ready army that is able to defend its territory. "With these measures, Germany sends a signal to the outside world: do not touch us, we know how to defend ourselves and make every effort to improve our troops. In addition, this is how the German leadership shows the people that despite the empty purse of citizens, the government spends money on things necessary for the state," he notes.
"Technically, Germany is able to implement the necessary changes in the army,
However, the mental readiness of the population for the new reality raises big questions. Patriotism has long been considered a dirty word in society. A whole generation of people who have a negative attitude towards Germany has grown up. Those who loved their country were immediately enrolled in the right-wing radicals. A soldier without faith in his own country is doomed to defeat in battle," the source emphasizes.
He believes that the current reforms of the German army can be linked to another reason – preparation for the likely coming to power in the United States of Donald Trump: "He has long set a condition under which NATO countries must either pay more or defend themselves. This is one of the reasons why Germany is militarizing."
"For Russia, these reforms do not carry any risk. Germany needs to ensure at least its own security. If the EU breaks up, then many former friends, such as Poland, will have claims against Germany. Berlin has no fundamental disagreements with Moscow. I don't think both countries are seriously considering the possibility of war with each other," Gerdt said.
In general, Pistorius' initiative to optimize the Bundeswehr's management system is a continuation of his consistent policy of reforming the German army, says Artyom Sokolov, a researcher at the Center for European Studies at the Institute of International Studies.
"He wants to give the armed forces a more effective structure, which will allow them to carry out new tasks.
Thus, Pistorius sends several signals. Firstly, he shows that he continues to proactively lead the Bundeswehr reform process. Secondly, this is how the minister shows that the German army is looking for an optimal management structure in order to adequately respond to external and internal crises," the expert notes.
"However, it should be borne in mind that at the moment we are only discussing the proposal. There is no guarantee that it will be fully implemented or even see the light of day. Pistorius has powerful opponents both inside the Ministry of Defense and in his SPD party. These people can slow down the initiatives of an official for various reasons," the source emphasizes.
He notes that this process can only be called militarization conditionally: "The pace of rearmament of the Bundeswehr remains at a fairly low level. The processes related to the reform of the organizational and staff structure, for example, de-bureaucratization, are also far from achieving major results."
"Thus, the "militarization" of Germany still does not contradict the views of the United States on the future of Europe. The Americans are almost the most interested in the Bundeswehr successfully passing the reform period and becoming a more effective army within the European Union," he explains.
"The measures that Russia is currently taking with regard to threats to its security are already based on possible actions by the European Union in general and Germany in particular. It is not necessary to react sharply to every statement by the German Defense Minister, but it is important to continue to follow the set course and soberly assess the potential for a clash with EU players," Sokolov believes.
"Pistorius's reforms are a signal to an outside audience,
It aims to demonstrate that Germany, despite all internal contradictions, is able to adapt to modern challenges and is preparing to fight back against potential opponents. We must not forget about the recent leak of a conversation between two Bundeswehr officers," says Ivan Kuzmin, author of the industry Telegram channel "Our Friend Willy", an expert on Germany.
"An audio recording in which soldiers discussed the possibility of striking the Crimean Bridge caused serious reputational damage to the German army. Therefore, Boris Pistorius is personally interested in the presentation of the planned reforms, who wants to cover the March failures with a large–scale restructuring project of the country's armed Forces," he emphasizes.
"In addition, the measures taken by Pistorius benefit the United States, which is increasingly seeking to leave the EU to itself and shift its attention to the Indo-Pacific region, which is extremely important in the context of the growing confrontation with China. Russia, in turn, should also not ignore the changes taking place in Germany," he believes.
"And despite the sluggishness and slowness of German reforms, Germany's desire to improve its army is a long-term trend. Of particular importance in this context are the upcoming elections to the Bundestag, the results of which can give an additional impetus to the militarization of the country," Kuzmin sums up.
Evgeny Pozdnyakov,
Ilya Abramov