Bundeswehr Aims to Expand to 460,000 Soldiers

Germany’s armed forces aim to increase their personnel to 460,000, including both active-duty troops and reservists, according to Bundeswehr Inspector General Carsten Breuer.

In comments to Deutsche Welle, Breuer shared that the Bundeswehr must be capable of fulfilling direct military tasks, including those under NATO command.

“German society also needs to prepare for war – to become more resilient, more active, and ready for challenges,” Breuer said.

The Bundeswehr currently comprises approximately 182,000 active-duty personnel. However, it plans to train about 100,000 additional reservists by the end of the decade.

Under NATO’s new defense planning framework, Germany is expected to maintain a force of 395,000 troops, an increase of more than 80% over current levels.

“That’s why we have to rely on military service – in whatever form it takes. Whether this requires compulsory service or whether voluntary service is sufficient is a purely political question,” Breuer said.

Considering Germany’s commitments to NATO and its role as a logistics hub for troop deployments to the alliance’s eastern flank, a total of 460,000 soldiers and reservists will be needed.

To meet this target, the Bundeswehr would need 200,000 active-duty personnel and 260,000 reservists. Currently, 60,000 reservists serve in the Bundeswehr’s permanent reserve.

An additional 100,000 reservists could be drawn from the pool of approximately 800,000 former service members who have left the armed forces in recent years.

“That still leaves a gap of 100,000 that we must fill,” Breuer said.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has also expressed interest in reintroducing a form of military service later this year, if he remains in office under the next government. A report published in March by Germany’s parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces identified personnel shortages and outdated equipment as major challenges facing the Bundeswehr.