Bundeswehr

The Bundeswehr needs more soldiers, yet more Germans are being recognized as conscientious objectors.

June 28, 2026 Ti AI ṣe iroyin

The German cabinet is scheduled to adopt a law on Wednesday to expand the Bundeswehr reserve. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius excludes former conscripts from the effort. The meeting in Berlin will include Chancellor Friedrich Merz and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Patrick Sensburg, president of the reservists' association, has criticized the Bundeswehr for slow processes in admitting new reservists. He called for a reserve three times larger than the regular force. The Defense Ministry plans to unveil a new reserve strategy in April.

March 31, 2026 Ti AI ṣe iroyin

Defense firm Rheinmetall has announced a partnership with Boeing Australia to develop the long-range MQ-28 Ghost Bat combat drone for the Bundeswehr. The Düsseldorf-based company aims to offer it for the planned procurement of a Collaborative Combat Aircraft by 2029. The multi-billion euro contract stems from a secret Bundeswehr tender.

A scandal involving sexism, right-wing extremism, and drug abuse at the 26th Parachute Regiment in Zweibrücken has caused outrage in the Bundeswehr. Investigations target 55 soldiers, with 23 facing dismissal. The incident endangers Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and the force's future.

January 16, 2026 Ti AI ṣe iroyin

Women in the Fallschirmjägerregiment 26 in Zweibrücken were systematically harassed and threatened by male soldiers. The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Henning Otte, is calling for a dark field study to assess the true extent of the issue in the Bundeswehr. The scandal involves sexism, right-wing extremism, and drug abuse and is far from an isolated incident.