The German government is pouring hundreds of millions of euros into modernizing and expanding its military, the Bundeswehr. However, critics warn that the country's notoriously slow procurement processes could derail these efforts.

The wars in Ukraine and Iran have demonstrated that drones costing tens of thousands of euros can be effective against weapons that cost millions to develop and produce. Ukrainian air defenses, for instance, have managed to hold their own against Russian attacks despite having only a fraction of the number of fighter jets and bombers.

Germany has massively boosted its defense spending in recent years. On top of the €100 billion ($114 billion) "special fund" announced after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the state has been rapidly increasing regular defense spending: from €62.4 billion in 2025 to €82.7 billion in 2026, with plans to reach €152 billion by 2029.

But critics question whether these vast sums are being spent wisely, especially after the Franco-German FCAS fighter jet project, costing over €100 billion, was scrapped in June. Defense analyst Nico Lange, a former German Defense Ministry official, gave a scathing verdict: "It's the same dysfunctional system as before. They're just pouring significantly more money into it."

Some politicians argue that Germany is on a steep learning curve. Andreas Schwarz, a Social Democrat member of the Bundestag defense committee, said the war in Ukraine is "completely changing how war is being fought." During a visit to Ukraine, he found that debates about sending Taurus missiles or Leopard tanks had become entirely irrelevant.

However, the Ukrainian experience does not mean heavy weapons systems are obsolete, according to Max Becker of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). He noted that the war has shown tanks and artillery are still important for capturing and holding territory, as well as for long-range strikes. "It's about having the right mix of legacy systems, which you still need, and drone technology," he said.

German defense procurement is notoriously slow and complicated, especially in a country where the arms industry is dominated by major companies like Rheinmetall. To speed things up, the government passed the Military Procurement Acceleration Law at the beginning of the year, which aims to decentralize decision-making and reduce paperwork.

Becker believes Germany should focus on building a new manufacturing infrastructure that can quickly respond to orders. "I can't buy a million drones. I need a stockpile for training, but I also need industrial capacities so that mass production of drones can be set up within four to six weeks," he said.

Source: www.dw.com