Bundeswehr: Billions Unused

Bundeswehr: Milliarden ungenutzt

While substantial new funds are being allocated, Germany’s defense sector must confront deep structural challenges. A report cited by Zeit Online shows that in 2024, Pistorius’s ministry failed to spend €4.6 billion of its budget allocation, due to slow procurement processes, limited industrial capacity, and administrative delays. This underscores that the main obstacle to rearmament is not financial but procedural. Pistorius has declared ammunition procurement a top priority (Chefssache), creating special task forces to accelerate orders. Leaked estimates suggest that the Bundeswehr currently holds just one or two days' worth of ammunition for intense combat. The CDU-SPD government has pledged legal reforms to simplify military procurement and cut red tape, including emergency procedures while war continues in Europe. Equipment upgrades are ongoing: 35 U.S.-made F-35 jets for NATO nuclear sharing will be delivered from 2027, and the Luftwaffe has selected Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from 2026 to replace aging CH-53s. The Navy is investing in new submarines with Norway. But these projects take years, so the government is also exploring off-the-shelf purchases from allies to close short-term readiness gaps. In short, while Germany has committed unprecedented funds to its military, the challenge now lies in spending them efficiently. Without deep reform of defense procurement and national industry, the Zeitenwende risks being squandered.