Germany’s Procurement Reform: Fast-Tracking the Bundeswehr’s Readiness
In the shifting security landscape of Europe, the challenge of time has become paramount for defence policy. For Germany, the perceived mismatch between strategic threats and procurement capabilities has emerged as a central issue. In response, the federal cabinet has initiated a legislative reform to accelerate the acquisition of military equipment for the Bundeswehr. The initiative is framed not as an isolated bureaucratic adjustment but as a structural overhaul of procurement norms, aiming to align administrative speed with operational urgency. The key objective is to overcome institutional inertia and enhance the reactivity of the German military. This change is motivated by two factors: the expanding threat from Russia and the Bundeswehr’s stated goal of being “kriegstüchtig” (war-ready) by 2029. In this context, the traditional slow pace of German defence acquisition is now seen as a national vulnerability.