In 2025, Germany is spending roughly 53 billion euros on defense — for the first time exceeding NATO's 2% of GDP target. The 100-billion-euro special fund, approved after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was supposed to "fundamentally modernize" the Bundeswehr.
The reality: a third of helicopters are non-operational. Half of the Puma infantry fighting vehicles are in the repair shop. Procuring a new standard-issue rifle took 12 years. The Bundeswehr has more generals than operational main battle tanks.
The Diagnosis
The Bundeswehr's problem is not too little money. The problem is what happens with the money. The procurement system is so bureaucratic that ordering new socks takes longer than building a startup. The defense industry delivers late and expensive because there are no consequences.
The political debate reduces itself to "2% yes or no." That is like rating a restaurant by how much you spend rather than by what is on the plate.
KIfD's Position
- Full transparency on the state of the Bundeswehr: a real-time dashboard for the operational readiness of all weapon systems.
- Procurement reform: maximum procurement time of 24 months for standard systems. Automatic contractual penalties for delivery delays.
- AI-driven logistics and maintenance planning: predictive maintenance instead of reactive repair.
- European defense integration instead of 27 separate armies operating 27 different systems.
- Clear strategic communication: What is the threat? What do we need for it? What does it cost? In that order.
Defense is not a topic where data analysis seems cold. It is a topic where cold analysis can save lives.