The German Defense Ministry is planning a significantly strengthened Bundeswehr, or army reserve, that could accommodate up to 60,000 men and women, a top official for the army’s reserve affairs told dpa in Berlin.
“I am convinced that we must fully adapt the reserve to current security policy challenges so that it can properly support the Bundeswehr in carrying out the task of national and alliance (NATO) defense,” said Lt. General Andreas Hoppe, Deputy Inspector General and Commissioner for Defense. reservist matters, said.
His comments come days before Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is due to present his proposal for a model of military conscription on Wednesday. The design was shelved in 2011 and its reintroduction is controversial in Germany.
“We need military service as a basis for rapid growth and the resilience of our Bundeswehr in case of defense,” Pistorius said on Friday at an event organized by the trade association of family businesses in Berlin. The reserve should also be increased significantly, he said.
The war in Ukraine has prompted Germany to reconsider its defense needs
“If you look at Ukraine, we are simply not able to sustain and grow as we are now. That is why we need a reserve capable of completely replacing the armed forces,” Hoppe said.
The aim is to equip and train reserve companies or reserve battalions in such a way that they can be seamlessly integrated into the operational management of a brigade.
