German Defense Minister makes significant admission regarding the army

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that approximately 5 to 8 years are needed to address the army's weapons requirements and close gaps in the defense industry.

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German Defense Minister makes significant admission regarding the army

In a statement to the newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Pistorius pointed out that it will take time for the defense industry to increase its capacity, stating, "We need about 5 to 8 years to close the gap in both the armed forces and the defense industry."

Drawing attention to the fact that the US will be more involved in the Pacific region in the next 10 years than it is today and that there may be a reduction in America's activities in Europe, Pistorius assessed, "This means that we Europeans must increase our determination to guarantee security on our continent."

Pistorius explained that Russia has significantly increased its defense production. Urging that threats against the Baltic states, Georgia, and Moldova be taken seriously, Pistorius included the statement, "This is not just sabotage. We may face dangers at the end of this decade, but we will be prepared for them by then."

"I HAVE GIVEN THE INSTRUCTION"

Stating that the German army is well-equipped enough to fulfill all tasks within NATO, Pistorius continued as follows:

"It is very important that the Bundeswehr has the right structures. If the mission shifts from international crisis management to national and alliance defense, then the organization must also change. For this reason, I have given the instruction to present concrete proposals regarding the future structure of the armed forces and the civilian sector attached to it. When the Bundeswehr will become fully equipped depends on the success of the measures taken and to be taken, and on cooperation with the industry."

Touching upon the previously abolished compulsory military service in Germany, Pistorius assessed, "I am examining all options, but whatever it is, every model needs a political majority. There were reasons to suspend compulsory military service at that time. However, looking back, we see that it was a mistake."

"I AM LOOKING AT OTHER MODELS"

Underlining that reintroducing compulsory military service is difficult from a structural, constitutional, and political perspective, Pistorius noted the following:

"That is why I am looking at other models, such as the Swedish model, where all young men and women are conscripted and only a select few perform basic military service. Whether something like this would be possible here is part of these evaluations."

News Source: AA