Germany is rearming: Is the Bundeswehr becoming a superpower?

Germany is rearming: Is the Bundeswehr becoming a superpower?

German defense policy is in a state of upheaval. On November 2, 2025, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced major changes aimed at expanding the Bundeswehr into the strongest conventional army in Europe. “We will provide the Bundeswehr with all the financial resources it needs,” said Merz in a press conference. The federal government is not only planning to reform the debt brake, but also to significantly increase military spending.

A central element of this strategy is the procurement of modern weapon systems. Germany is aiming to acquire 400 Tomahawk Block Vb cruise missiles, which will collectively cost around 1.15 billion euros. These state-of-the-art cruise missiles are intended to be distributed across both land- and sea-based components. An interim solution for the German Navy until the 3SM “Tyrfing” cruise missile is deployed in the 2030s is also being considered. The potential is considerable, as at maximum deployment there could be between 30 and 50 Tomahawks at sea, which could be used on the F123 and F124 class frigates.

Arming in times of uncertainty

The Bundeswehr has lost substance over the years. According to reports from BR The troops were worn out for a long time. In view of the challenges posed by Russia, the federal government is planning a comprehensive modernization of the Bundeswehr. Almost 100 major projects have already been approved, including modern air defense systems, new submarines and main battle tanks as part of the new Lithuania Brigade. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius spoke of a “quantum leap” for the Bundeswehr.

A joint draft law by the economics and defense ministries is intended to ensure that orders are awarded more quickly, especially in the area of ​​medical supplies and construction contracts for barracks. The draft law defines such projects as “essential national security interests” and thus allows exceptions to European procurement law. This could result in around 8,000 orders being processed more quickly, provided the necessary capacity is available.

Innovations and challenges

As part of the planned rearmament, Germany is also interested in new technologies. The purchase of 600 Taurus Neo cruise missiles worth around 2.4 billion euros and the purchase of 75 AGM-158B/B2 JASSM-ER cruise missiles are already in the pipeline. These not only have a range of 1,000 kilometers, but also have advanced stealth properties. An order for the Joint Strike Missile (JSM), which has a range of over 500 kilometers and fits into the internal weapons bay of the F-35A, is also planned for June 2025.

However, there are challenges, particularly in the short-term delivery of new missile systems. Many of the modernized systems are not expected to be operational until the early 2030s. This worries not only policymakers, but also the industry, which is faced with production capacity and supplier reliability.

Plans to cooperate with the United Kingdom to jointly develop a long-range weapon, as well as interest in a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers, reflect the trend towards investing more in domestic defense capabilities. Some unease remains about the lack of initiatives to procure cost-effective long-range strike capabilities, such as mini-cruise missiles or long-range drones.

Overall, it can be said that there is a lot going on in Germany - both politically and militarily. It remains to be seen how these ambitious plans will be implemented in reality.