As nations race to prepare their forces after Russia invades Ukraine, Army Chief Alfons Mais of Germany said that his country is certain it would have the best-equipped army division among European NATO partners by 2025.
Berlin now lacks a single division, a military formation with more than 20,000 soldiers prepared for conflict. The first of its three divisions is expected to be operational by 2025, with the second in 2027.
Rebuild of Divisions Across Western Nations
According to the lieutenant general, Germany would send two mechanized brigades first, followed by a medium unit that was more lightly armed, and then get reinforcements from a Dutch brigade. An average brigade has 5,000 soldiers.
The primary organizational building elements of the land forces that would be required to manage a fight with a peer foe are divisions, according to Reuters.
After decades of fighting minor wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, Western nations are frantically trying to rebuild and re-equip their divisions, which were neglected, dismantled, and deprived of their weapons and ammunition.
Because Western nations are already supplying Kyiv with massive quantities of shells, further depleting inadequate reserves that have been dwindling since the end of the Cold War. Mais recognized that it would be ambitious to provide the division with enough ammunition by 2025.
According to Mais, fully equipping the second German division, slated to be combat-ready in 2027, heavily depends on the arrival of purchases from the 100 billion euro special budget materializing at the personnel level.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz proclaimed a "Zeitenwende" (historical turning moment) and created a special fund to modernize a German military that had suffered from years of financial neglect.
Berlin's Army Division
Berlin's army division is a major component of the German military. It plays a key role in the defense of Germany and Europe.
The division was formed in 2015 following the decision by the German government to increase military spending. It is composed of three brigades: the 1st Infantry Brigade, the 2nd Panzer Brigade, and the 3rd Mechanized Brigade. The division also includes several support units, including artillery, air defense, and engineering.
The division is headquartered in Berlin, but it is also deployed to other parts of Germany and Europe. It has been involved in a number of NATO exercises, and it is also prepared to deploy to crisis areas on short notice.
The division is equipped with the latest NATO weapons and equipment. This includes Leopard 2 tanks, Marder infantry fighting vehicles, and Patriot air defense systems. The division also has several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other high-tech equipment.
The modernization of Berlin's army division is a sign of Germany's renewed commitment to NATO and the defense of Europe.
