Germany’s military, the , on Saturday confirmed it would establish a major new land forces unit dedicated to securing vital infrastructure and military facilities inside the countrz..
As part of the new structure, the homeland defence forces will be placed under the army’s command from April.
The move anticipates existing army divisions being deployed to NATO’s external borders under NATO command as a deterrent or to defend against external aggression.
Why is this happening now?
last year ordered a to strengthen its with a unified operational command.
Its establishment comes in line with the Osnabrück Decree, which aims to against Russia in light of the invasion of Ukraine.
At the time, the minister referred to the changed situation and the need to survive militarily in a defensive war.
While Germany already has homeland defense units, these are generally non-active and made up of reservists, coming under the control of commands from Germany’s individual states.
The latest move would make them semi-active, under the command of the army. The division is to consist of active soldiers and reservists.
The decree, the fourth regulation to restructure the Bundeswehr in its history, means that “national and alliance defense is once again the focus” due to heightened concerns about Russian aggression. It provides “the formal basis for a war-ready leadership organization.”
Homeland defense division to staffed by more than 6000
Military planners expect the unit to be formed in mid-March and to number some 6,000 personnel by the summer before being expanded further.
The Bundeswehr currently has more than 260,000 personnel, including civilian staff. This comprises the army, navy and air force, as well as medical and other support services.
Currently, the army comprises three divisions, the addition of a fourth major unit dedicated to homeland defence marks a significant enhancement of the Bundeswehr’s capabilities.
While the move was initially put on ice after the collapse of the coalition government in November, preparations are continuing.
Germany’s / conservative alliance, currently leading the polls ahead of a February 23 parliamentary election, says it wants to go further than the model already put forward by the center-left-led outgoing government of .
What will the force do?
The Bundeswehr says the homeland defense division will be charged with the protection of ports, railway facilities and freight shipment points, as well as pipelines.
It will also guard roads for troop deployment, bridges, transport hubs and digital infrastructure, the military said.
Such capabilities are seen as particularly crucial should the rest of Germany’s army be deployed to countries on the eastern flank of NATO, such as Poland or the .
The division will also safeguard Germany’s role as an operational base and hub for NATO. As such, it will be tasked with defending both national and alliance property in times of crisis or conflict.
It could also be used to give administrative assistance in the event of major accidents, terrorist attacks or future pandemics.
An army spokesman on Saturday said the division would “lead its own and, if necessary, other troops as part of national territorial defense, in the event of assistance, in civil-military cooperation and in the implementation of joint Bundeswehr tasks in the area.”
rc/lo (dpa, AFP)
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