Germany’s armed forces have a three-year window to acquire necessary equipment to counter a potential Russian attack on NATO territory, according to Annette Lehnigk-Emden, head of the Office for Military Procurement, reports RFE.
Defense spending has climbed high on the political agenda since Russia’s war in Ukraine began in 2022, and following pressure from the United States for NATO member states to increase their commitments.
“Everything needed to be fully prepared to defend the country must be purchased by 2028,” Lehnigk-Emden told the newspaper Tagesspiegel.
Chief of Defense, General Carsten Breuer, recently warned that Russia could be in a position to launch “a large-scale attack against NATO territory” by 2029. He noted a buildup of ammunition and tanks for a potential Russian attack on the Baltic states, which are NATO members.
Lehnigk-Emden stated that the new government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facilitating military advancements by allocating hundreds of billions of euros for defense. She emphasized that heavy equipment, such as Skyranger anti-aircraft tanks, will be prioritized.
Merz has made rearmament a priority for his governing coalition, aiming to transform the German army into “the most powerful conventional army in Europe.” Rearmament efforts had already begun under the previous government of Olaf Scholz after Russia initiated the war.
U.S. President Donald Trump this year called for NATO members to increase defense spending from two to five percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated on Thursday that 50,000 to 60,000 new soldiers will be needed in the coming years to meet NATO’s defense requirements. Last year, the German army had over 180,000 soldiers and aims to increase this number to 203,000 by 2031.
