Overview
- Parliament’s mid-December approvals unlocked roughly €50 billion in Bundeswehr purchases now moving into contracts spanning artillery, armored vehicles, protected transport, missile defense and a space-based radar reconnaissance project.
- The procurement office placed initial orders including 84 RCH 155 wheeled howitzers under a framework for up to 500 (€1.2 billion), 349 Patria CAVS vehicles (over €1 billion) and 200 Puma infantry fighting vehicles (€4.2 billion).
- Further steps include nearly 3,000 Eagle V protected vehicles for €4 billion and an Arrow‑3 contract expansion to increase interceptor and launcher production, valued by the Defense Ministry at $3.1 billion.
- Under the Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz, 18-year-old men must complete a 12-question online form starting mid to late January, non-response is an administrative offense that can lead to a fine, and military service remains voluntary.
- Recruiting data from Hesse show 6,170 first counseling sessions and 1,580 hires through November, while a peace group reports conscientious-objection inquiries rising from 3–6 per month early in 2025 to 58 in October and expects more once letters arrive.