Germany commits €19 billion for Bundeswehr equipment and Boxer vehicles
Germany is set to commit nearly 19 billion euros to outfitting its Bundeswehr troops with new uniforms and personal equipment over the coming years, in addition to 7.5 billion euros for new wheeled armored vehicles.
This is according to a Ministry of Finance document cited by Reuters.
The government justifies the vast troop equipping project, known as FASER, by its ambitious recruitment goal: reaching 460,000 soldiers by the middle of the next decade, a significant increase from the current 280,000-strong Bundeswehr. Expenditures for this program are slated to extend until 2034.
Concurrently, budget documents confirm Germany will authorize 7.5 billion euros until 2037 for the pivotal acquisition of wheeled armored vehicles. Parliamentary sources indicate this will likely involve between 3,000 and 5,000 Boxer vehicles, jointly produced by the German concern Rheinmetall and the Franco-German company KNDS.
This sweeping military modernization campaign began after Chancellor Friedrich Merz secured the necessary political support to exempt these crucial expenditures from the national debt limit. The aim is clear: to urgently strengthen the underequipped army and assume greater responsibility for European security.
Overall, Germany's total defense spending for 2026, including special funds, is projected to reach approximately 117.2 billion euros, which is equivalent to about 2.8% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Translation by Iurie Tataru
