Bundeswehr

federal defense forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities

The Bundeswehr (German for "Federal Defence Force"; audio speaker iconlisten ) are the military of Germany. The Bundeswehr has a military part (Streitkräfte) and a civil part, with the military part having the Army, Navy, Air Force, Joint Support Service, Joint Medical Service and Cyber and Information Domain Service.

Federal Defence Forces of Germany
Bundeswehr
Insignia of the Bundeswehr
FoundedNovember 12, 1955
Current formOctober 2, 1990
Service branchesHeer (Army)
Marine (Navy)
Luftwaffe (Air Force)
Streitkräftebasis (Joint Support Service)
Zentraler Sanitätsdienst (Joint Medical Service)
HeadquartersBonn, Berlin and Potsdam
Leadership
Commander-in-ChiefDefence Minister Thomas de Maizière[1]
after declaration of state of defence: Chancellor Angela Merkel[2]
Minister of DefenceThomas de Maizière
Chief of DefenceGeneral Volker Wieker (Heer)
Personnel
Military age17
ConscriptionNo (Suspended on 1 July 2011)
Available for
military service
19,594,118 (2009 est.), age 17–49
Fit for
military service
15,747,493 (2009 est.), age 17–49
Reaching military
age annually
445,048 (2009 est.)
Active personnel207,247 active
Reserve personnel200,000 reserves
Expenditure
Budget€ 31.1 billion (FY09)
Percent of GDP1.5% (FY09)
Industry
Domestic suppliersEADS
Heckler & Koch
Rheinmetall
Krauss-Maffei Wegmann
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft
Walther arms
ThyssenKrupp
Foreign suppliers European Union
 United States
Annual importsVolume of about $1 bln (2009 est.)
Annual exportsVolume of about $9 bln (2009 est.)

The Heer (Army), Marine (Navy) and Luftwaffe (Air Force) form one unified force, not three separate fighting forces. And two smaller ones: Joint Support Service (Streitkräftebasis) and Joint Medical Service (Zentraler Sanitätsdienst).

In peace-time the commander-in-chief is the Federal Minister of Defence, and in wartime the Chancellor of Germany. This is unlike most countries where the head of state is commander in chief.

In March 2012, there were about 207,000 soldiers serving in the Bundeswehr; there are another 200,000 in reserve. Conscription for the Bundeswehr has been abolished in July 2011.

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Sources

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  1. "Art 65a Basic Law". Gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  2. "Art 115b Basic Law". Gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 2011-06-07.