Germany Strengthens Defense Strategy for First Time in Decades

The drumbeat of Russian threats is prompting Germany to embrace its largest military expansion since the Cold War, a dramatic shift for a nation long defined by post-war military restraint.

For the first time in decades, Berlin is positioning itself to potentially lead European defense, approving sweeping legislation to increase the Bundeswehr from approximately 180,000 to 260,000 troops by 2035. The expansion represents a fundamental rethinking of Germany’s military posture in response to escalating tensions along NATO’s eastern flank.

To achieve this ambitious growth, German lawmakers have authorized a comprehensive package of incentives, including increased compensation, enhanced training pathways, and new programs designed to make military skills more transferable to civilian careers – addressing what has historically been a significant barrier to recruitment.

Perhaps most notably, the legislation reintroduces a form of selective service screening. Every 18-year-old German man will now receive a mandatory questionnaire assessing health and fitness for potential military service, with women given the option to participate voluntarily. This marks a return to a model Germany had largely abandoned in recent years.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has been increasingly direct about the threat assessment driving these changes. According to Eurasia Daily, Pistorius has warned that NATO must prepare for potential Russian aggression “as early as next year,” emphasizing that Europe – and Germany specifically – must be ready to lead its own defense should the need arise.

For Germany, a nation where militarism carries profound historical baggage, this represents a remarkable evolution in strategic thinking. German officials argue that the current security environment in Europe leaves them no choice but to rebuild military capacity rapidly.

The shift comes amid growing uncertainty about America’s long-term security commitments to Europe, with German defense planners increasingly unwilling to assume U.S. forces would shoulder the same burden they once did in a potential conflict.

Across the Atlantic, the United States military finds itself in a complex position. Unlike recent years, recruitment numbers have rebounded significantly. The Army achieved its fiscal-year 2025 goal of 61,000 new recruits four months ahead of schedule – its strongest performance in a decade, according to Department of War figures. The Navy and Air Force report similarly positive trajectories toward meeting their targets.

However, a March 2025 Government Accountability Office assessment paints a troubling picture of overall U.S. military readiness. The report documents a systemic, two-decade decline across all service branches, largely stemming from the Pentagon’s struggle to maintain aging systems while simultaneously developing and deploying next-generation platforms.

The aviation sector appears particularly stressed, with 42 of 45 major aircraft platforms failing to meet mission-capable goals in 2023. The GAO identified persistent challenges including aging fleets, insufficient maintenance personnel, and critical supply chain shortages.

Naval readiness faces similar challenges. Only 20% of carrier strike groups completed scheduled maintenance on time in fiscal year 2021, while half of the Navy’s amphibious vessels were assessed as being in poor condition. The situation became so concerning that Congress intervened to prevent the cancellation of certain repair plans.

Ground forces haven’t fared better, with Army watercraft mission-capable rates plummeting from 75% to under 40% since 2020. The report also notes that the Army has begun fielding new equipment without fully prepared facilities or adequate training plans – a recipe for reduced operational effectiveness.

Even the newly established Space Force faces significant structural challenges, having yet to identify the personnel pipelines or training frameworks necessary to operate new systems in contested environments.

The GAO concluded these readiness challenges represent long-term, systemic issues unlikely to resolve without significant intervention and investment – a sobering assessment as Germany and other European allies work to bolster their own capabilities in the face of heightened regional tensions.