NewsGermany boosts military readiness: Cyber warfare now a major focus

Germany boosts military readiness: Cyber warfare now a major focus

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius

Images source: © Getty Images | Leonhard Simon

8:07 AM EDT, April 5, 2024

The German government is reorganizing the Bundeswehr's operational command and elevating cyber and information technology to a fully-fledged military branch on par with the navy, air force, and land forces. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has unveiled plans for these reforms to ensure the military's readiness for war.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is adamant that the armed forces must be "ready for war." He announced that this intent kickstarted the reforms with a new army structure set to be in place by this fall, less than a year after he took office as the defense chief.

On Thursday, Pistorius detailed more aspects of the Bundeswehr's overhaul, as reported by Euractiv. The reforms are scheduled to be carried out over the next six months.

"The goal is to restructure the Bundeswehr so it is optimally prepared for any situation, even war," Pistorius told reporters.

He further mentioned that Germany, the EU's largest economy, is responsible for leading European defense.

"We must ensure that NATO can fulfill its role in combating threats. This includes equipping the Bundeswehr for a new yet familiar challenge: national and allied defense," he stated.

A New Branch of the Armed Forces

A major change instigated by the federal government is elevating cyber and information technology to a fully-fledged military branch alongside the navy, air force, and land forces.

The fourth branch, the cyber and information space (CIR) forces, will specialize in electronic warfare, cyber operations, and the protection of electronic infrastructure.

Pistorius highlighted that a unified operational command would facilitate faster decision-making and serve as NATO's central point of contact.

Unprecedented Defense Spending

This year, the German federal government has allocated a record defense budget of $73.41 billion.

According to the German Press Agency, this is the highest amount ever budgeted for defense in Germany's history. As per NATO's latest forecasts, it could potentially bring the GDP ratio to 2.01 percent.

"No one should consider attacking NATO territory," Pistorius emphasized Thursday, underscoring the importance of the Bundeswehr's modifications.