Germany enlists industry support to strengthen NATO's response to ‘Russian attack’ – Handelsblatt
Germany's military, the Bundeswehr, has reportedly contacted key logistics and defense companies to prepare for a potential NATO deployment to Eastern Europe “in the event of a Russian attack,” as reported by Handelsblatt on Tuesday. Several...
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Germany's military, the Bundeswehr, has reportedly contacted key logistics and defense companies to prepare for a potential NATO deployment to Eastern Europe “in the event of a Russian attack,” as reported by Handelsblatt on Tuesday.
Several eastern NATO nations, particularly the Baltic states, have raised concerns that Russia is gearing up for an invasion, a claim that Moscow has consistently dismissed.
In confidential discussions, the Bundeswehr is engaging firms such as Deutsche Bahn, Lufthansa, and Rheinmetall for their assistance in transporting troops, weapons, and equipment.
The German Defense Ministry has reportedly asked Deutsche Bahn to explore how it might support the transport of military convoys by rail during a crisis. Meanwhile, Lufthansa is being evaluated for its potential role in providing basic training support for fighter pilots through its flight school. Rheinmetall, which is already active in military logistics through a recent €260 million contract, is also in negotiations to broaden its involvement.
This initiative is part of Germany's strategic position as NATO's central logistics hub. As per the military alliance’s new defense framework, Berlin has pledged to mobilize thousands of soldiers and hundreds of aircraft and ships within 30 days of a crisis.
Defense officials communicated to the newspaper that the Bundeswehr is not capable of executing such a large-scale mobilization independently. Consequently, German military leaders are relying on the private sector to establish what they describe as a “strategic deployment corridor” throughout the country.
“The Bundeswehr relies almost exclusively on civilian commercial service providers for the logistical transport of military goods and equipment outside of crisis zones,” the Bundeswehr Operational Command informed Handelsblatt. “In sea and air transport for extra-wide and extra-heavy equipment, this figure is even 100 percent.”
This effort comes as Germany aims to recover from years of underinvestment in its military, which has left it ill-equipped for large-scale conflict. The special fund of €100 billion announced by outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict is part of this recovery strategy. Germany’s chief of defense staff, Gen. Carsten Breuer, recently emphasized the need for the Bundeswehr to be war-ready by 2029 in order to effectively respond to a potential conflict with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has persistently denied claims that Moscow harbors aggressive intentions toward NATO countries, labeling them as “nonsense” intended to alarm Western Europeans and justify significant increases in defense budgets.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
Several eastern NATO nations, particularly the Baltic states, have raised concerns that Russia is gearing up for an invasion, a claim that Moscow has consistently dismissed.
In confidential discussions, the Bundeswehr is engaging firms such as Deutsche Bahn, Lufthansa, and Rheinmetall for their assistance in transporting troops, weapons, and equipment.
The German Defense Ministry has reportedly asked Deutsche Bahn to explore how it might support the transport of military convoys by rail during a crisis. Meanwhile, Lufthansa is being evaluated for its potential role in providing basic training support for fighter pilots through its flight school. Rheinmetall, which is already active in military logistics through a recent €260 million contract, is also in negotiations to broaden its involvement.
This initiative is part of Germany's strategic position as NATO's central logistics hub. As per the military alliance’s new defense framework, Berlin has pledged to mobilize thousands of soldiers and hundreds of aircraft and ships within 30 days of a crisis.
Defense officials communicated to the newspaper that the Bundeswehr is not capable of executing such a large-scale mobilization independently. Consequently, German military leaders are relying on the private sector to establish what they describe as a “strategic deployment corridor” throughout the country.
“The Bundeswehr relies almost exclusively on civilian commercial service providers for the logistical transport of military goods and equipment outside of crisis zones,” the Bundeswehr Operational Command informed Handelsblatt. “In sea and air transport for extra-wide and extra-heavy equipment, this figure is even 100 percent.”
This effort comes as Germany aims to recover from years of underinvestment in its military, which has left it ill-equipped for large-scale conflict. The special fund of €100 billion announced by outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict is part of this recovery strategy. Germany’s chief of defense staff, Gen. Carsten Breuer, recently emphasized the need for the Bundeswehr to be war-ready by 2029 in order to effectively respond to a potential conflict with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has persistently denied claims that Moscow harbors aggressive intentions toward NATO countries, labeling them as “nonsense” intended to alarm Western Europeans and justify significant increases in defense budgets.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
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