Germanys Rearmament Plan: A Problem of Bureaucracy

Abstract

The conflict in Ukraine that started on February 24th, 2022, had a transformative effect on the status of European security policy, with the most prominent outcome being Germanys break with its pacifist tradition and its policy of disarmament. The German governments plan to rebuild the Bundeswehr by raising its defense spending to 2% of its GDP, alongside the injection of a 100-billion-euro fund into its armed forces, was seen by many as the first step for Germany to a leading role in the new European Security Policy. However, increased funding is unlikely to be the deciding factor in whether Germany can successfully rearm, as the Bundeswehr is well funded in comparison to other standing armies of European states in similar economic circumstances. The main obstacle standing in the way of a successful German rearmament is Germanys bureaucracy. The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support," or the BAAINBw, responsible for procurement of materials for the Bundeswehr, is fully anarchistic and understaffed. Germanys path to a reformed military thus hinges on whether the German government can successfully reform the BAAINBw into a more efficient federal agency.