Вооружённые силы Федеративной Республики Германия

Reorientation[edit]

German military spending

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

1953

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

Military spending: Constant 2019 USD million (1953–2020)^[19]

A major event for the German military was the suspension of the compulsory conscription for men in 2011. In 2011/12, a major reform of the Bundeswehr was announced, further limiting the number of military bases and soldiers.^[20] The last reform set a required strength of 185,000 soldiers.^[21] As of April 2021, the number of active military personnel in the Bundeswehr was down to 184,507, corresponding to a ratio of 2.2 active soldiers per 1,000 inhabitants.^[7] Military expenditure in Germany was at $52.8 billion in 2020.^[9]

German military expenditures are lower than comparable countries of the European Union such as France and the United Kingdom, especially when taking into account Germany's larger population and economy. This discrepancy is often criticized by Germany's military allies, especially the United States.^[22][23]

In September 2014, the Bundeswehr acknowledged chronic equipment problems that rendered its armed forces "unable to deliver its defensive NATO promises". Among the problems cited were dysfunctional weapons systems, armored vehicles, aircraft, and naval vessels unfit for immediate service due to a neglect of maintenance, and serious equipment and spare parts shortages. The situation was so dire that it was acknowledged that most of Germany's fighter aircraft and combat helicopters were not in deployable condition.^[24][25][26]

In 2015, as a result of serious NATO-Russian tensions in Europe, Germany announced a major increase in defense spending. In May 2015, the German government approved an increase in defense spending, at the time 1.3% of GDP, by 6.2% over the following five years, allowing the Ministry of Defense to fully modernize the army.^[27] Plans were also announced to significantly expand the tank fleet to a potential number of 328, order 131 more Boxer armored personnel carriers, increase the submarine fleet, and to develop a new fighter jet to replace the Tornado.^{[28][29][30][31]} Germany considered increasing the size of the army,^[32] and in May 2016 it announced it would spend €130 billion on new equipment by 2030 and add nearly 7,000 soldiers by 2023 in the first German military expansion since the end of the Cold War.^[33][34] In February 2017, the German government announced another expansion, which would increase the number of its professional soldiers by 20,000 by 2024.^[35]