Germany to Restore Five Former Military Bases for Soldiers

Germany plans to bring five former military facilities back into operation to accommodate Bundeswehr personnel amid plans to increase the size of the armed forces.

The German publication Sicherheit & Verteidigung reports that the facilities are located in Sigmaringen, Kusel, Speyer, Soest, and Friedberg.

All five are planned to be transferred to the German Army.

The restoration of military infrastructure is linked to Germany’s plans to significantly increase the size of the Bundeswehr. By 2035, the country aims to increase the number of active-duty contract soldiers to at least 260,000, while expanding the reserve to 200,000 military personnel.

A key element of the army’s expansion will be a new military service model. It is intended to train a larger number of service members and build up a significantly larger reserve.

The increase in the size of the Bundeswehr is also creating a need for additional barracks, training centers, and military training grounds. That is why the Federal Ministry of Defence of Germany is assessing former military facilities that could be brought back into use.

As of June 2026, the Federal Ministry of Defence of Germany was assessing the potential reuse of 174 former military sites. In 2026, 27 sites were added to the list, while 40 plots of land were removed from further consideration.

Among the five sites planned to be returned to military use, the former U.S. military base Ray Barracks in Friedberg could prove the most problematic. Local authorities had planned to transform the approximately 74-hectare site into a residential, commercial, and mixed-use district.

Some of the former barracks buildings in Friedberg have already been renovated to accommodate refugees. The district authorities spent around €13 million on the renovations.

Meanwhile, the German government is seeking to accelerate the construction and modernization of military infrastructure. On July 1, the Cabinet approved a draft law aimed at reducing administrative procedures involved in implementing Bundeswehr infrastructure projects.

The increase in the number of active-duty personnel and reservists is being carried out gradually through the creation of new units and reserve formations.

Militarnyi reported that Germany plans to significantly expand its territorial defense forces and units responsible for protecting critical infrastructure. By 2035, the strength of the Territorial Defense Division (Division Heimatschutz) is expected to increase from the planned 6,500 to more than 10,000 military personnel.