German Army to Receive €52 Billion Boost in Record Military Order
Germany plans a massive €52 billion military procurement package, including new tanks, missiles, and gear, as Chancellor Merz aims to build Europe's strongest conventional army.
Editor
WISE NEWS PRESS / BERLIN, GERMANY — DEC. 10, 2025
The German government has placed a record-breaking €52 billion supplemental order for the Bundeswehr on the parliamentary agenda, signaling a massive acceleration in the country's military modernization efforts.
According to sources close to the matter, the package consists of 29 specific procurement orders and is expected to be approved by the Federal Parliament's Defense Committee next week. This move comes as Germany raises its standard defense budget to €86 billion for the year, aiming to meet new security challenges in Europe.
Clothing, Tanks, and Missiles
The largest single item on the 29-point list is a €20 billion allocation for military clothing and personal equipment. This significant investment is designed to support the planned rapid expansion of the armed forces; the Bundeswehr aims to increase its current strength of 184,000 active soldiers and 100,000 reservists to at least 450,000 personnel by 2035.
Other major hardware procurements include:
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Puma Tanks: The purchase of 200 German-made Puma infantry fighting vehicles at a cost of €4 billion.
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Missile Defense: Acquisition of missiles for the Arrow 3 defense system, jointly produced by Israel and the United States.
High-Tech Reconnaissance
The list also includes a cutting-edge order for German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall. The company will provide a satellite-supported reconnaissance system known as "SPOCK".
The initial payment for this system is set at €1.76 billion, though the total volume could rise to €2.7 billion. The AI-supported system will transmit reconnaissance data to the German 45th Tank Brigade stationed in Lithuania, evaluating radar images independently of weather or lighting conditions to detect enemy movements early.
Merz: 'Europe's Strongest Army'
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been vocal about his ambitions for the country's defense capabilities. In a statement made yesterday, Merz declared his goal to transform the Bundeswehr into "Europe's strongest conventional army".
Pointing to the fundamentally changing global security landscape, Merz stated, "We must increase Germany's defense capability to such a degree that we never have to defend ourselves".
Germany's defense budget for 2025 has been increased by €10 billion compared to 2024, reaching €62.43 billion. When combined with €24.06 billion from the special fund created for the army, the total military spending reaches €86 billion.
