Bundeswehr

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The Bundeswehr (German for "Federal Defence Force"; Loudspeaker.png listen (info • help)) are the German Armed Forces. The German armed forces are for the unified Germany itself and do not have several parts for the States of Germany.

Federal Defence Forces of Germany
Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr Kreuz Black.svg
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 (Central Medical Services)
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.)

There are five sections: three bigger ones: 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 Central Medical Services (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

Related pages

Sources

  1. "Art 65a Basic Law". Gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  2. "Art 115b Basic Law". Gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 2011-06-07.