Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr (German for "Federal Defence Force"; 
listen (info • help)) are the military of Germany. The Bundeswehr has a military part (Streitkräfte) and a civil part, with the military part having the Army, Navy, Air Force, Joint Support Service, Joint Medical Service and Cyber and Information Domain Service.
| Federal Defence Forces of Germany Bundeswehr | |
|---|---|
 Insignia of the Bundeswehr | |
| Established | November 12, 1955 |
| Current form | October 2, 1990 |
| Parts | Heer (Army) Marine (Navy) Luftwaffe (Air Force) Streitkräftebasis (Joint Support Service) Zentraler Sanitätsdienst (Joint Medical Service) |
| Headquarters | Bonn, Berlin and Potsdam |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière[1] after declaration of state of defence: Chancellor Angela Merkel[2] |
| Minister of Defense | Thomas de Maizière |
| Chief of staff | General Volker Wieker (Heer) |
| Serving soldiers | |
| Military age | 17 |
| Conscription | No (Suspended on 1 July 2011) |
| Available to be a soldier |
19,594,118 (2009 est.), age 17–49 |
| Fit to be a soldier |
15,747,493 (2009 est.), age 17–49 |
| Reaching military age annually |
445,048 (2009 est.) |
| Active employees/soldiers | 207,247 active |
| Reserve personnel | 200,000 reserves |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | € 31.1 billion (FY09) |
| Percent of GDP | 1.5% (FY09) |
| Industry | |
| Suppliers from inland | EADS Heckler & Koch Rheinmetall Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft Walther arms ThyssenKrupp |
| Suppliers from foreign countries |
 European Union United States
|
| Annual imports | Volume of about $1 bln (2009 est.) |
| Annual exports | Volume of about $9 bln (2009 est.) |
The Heer (Army), Marine (Navy) and Luftwaffe (Air Force) form one unified force, not three separate fighting forces. And two smaller ones: Joint Support Service (Streitkräftebasis) and Joint Medical Service (Zentraler Sanitätsdienst).
In peace-time the commander-in-chief is the Federal Minister of Defence, and in wartime the Chancellor of Germany. This is unlike most countries where the head of state is commander in chief.
In March 2012, there were about 207,000 soldiers serving in the Bundeswehr; there are another 200,000 in reserve. Conscription for the Bundeswehr has been abolished in July 2011.
Bundeswehr Media
Generals Adolf Heusinger and Hans Speidel being sworn into the newly founded Bundeswehr by Theodor Blank on 12 November 1955
A Großer Zapfenstreich at the Federal Ministry of Defense in Bonn in 2002
The Federal Republic of Germany joined NATO in 1955.
Leopard 2A5 main battle tank during a teaching and combat demonstration. ©Bundeswehr/Modes
The Bundeswehr was the first NATO member to use the Soviet-built MiG 29 jet, taken over from the former East German Air Force after reunification.
At a festive event on German Unity Day, Federal Defense Minister Gerhard Stoltenberg takes over command of the armed forces of the former GDR.
A Eurofighter Typhoon of the Luftwaffe
German Army soldiers in Afghanistan in front of Dingo infantry mobility vehicles, 2009
Frigate Karlsruhe of the German Navy rescuing shipwrecked people off the coast of Somalia where it is patrolling
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Related pages
Sources
- ↑ "Art 65a Basic Law". Gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ "Art 115b Basic Law". Gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 2011-06-07.