Germany’s 2039 Military Ambition Sparks Déjà Vu and Concern
Germany has unveiled a comprehensive overhaul of its armed forces planning, introducing its first standalone military strategy titled “Responsibility for Europe.” This strategy identifies Russia as the primary threat and adopts a “one theater approach,” recognizing the interconnectedness of NATO territory, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific. The accompanying capability profile shifts to an effects-based model, prioritizing areas like deep precision strike and drone capabilities, while personnel plans aim to expand active-duty forces to 260,000 and reserves to at least 200,000 by the mid-2030s. This significant reform also elevates the reserve force to parity with the active duty component and includes an agenda to debureaucratize and modernize the military.
John Q. Hosedrinker