The
German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Traditionally the German military forces have been composed of Army, the Navy, and an
Air ForceLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1933 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956.Schweizer Luftwaffe is also the name of the Swiss Air...
after World War I. It was reinstalled in 1955 as the West German Army and as a part of the newly formed
BundeswehrThe Bundeswehr comprises the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
. In the aftermath of the
German reunificationGerman reunification is the process in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and Berlin was united into a single city-state. The start of this process is commonly referred to by former citizens of the GDR as die Wende...
of 1990, the
National People's ArmyThe National People’s Army was the military of the German Democratic Republic. Since East Germany was at the frontline of the Cold War, the GDR's military was considered to be the most advanced in the whole Warsaw Pact, excluding the Soviet Union...
of the former
German Democratic RepublicThe German Democratic Republic was a Communist state that originated from the Soviet Zone of occupied Germany and the Soviet sector of occupied Berlin...
was integrated into the West German Army.
Overview
Since Germany first became a modern unified
stateA sovereign state is a political association with effective internal and external sovereignty over a geographic area and population which is not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state...
in 1871, previous names of German unified ground forces have included:
- 1871–1935 Reichsheer or Imperial Army, part of Imperial Forces
- 1935–1945 Heer or Army, part of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht was the name of the unified armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe ....
- 1956–1990 Landstreitkräfte, Ground forces of East German Nationale Volksarmee
- 1955–present Deutsches Heer, German Army
Pre-1914
After the reform movement of the Prussian Army following a series of disastrous defeats at the hands of her enemies in the 18th Century, internal analysis of the lessons learned had informed Prussian civilian and military leadership that, while individual soldiers were first rate, command structures, staff organization and generalship was a hit-and-miss affair, more dependent on the martial skills of the King and the individual members of the German nobility who dominated the military profession. Too often, military talent was brought together only after the Nation faced a crisis. There was little effective organizational work in between wars. The rise of the
German General StaffThe German General Staff was an institution whose rise and development gave the German military a decided advantage over its adversaries...
, an institution that sought to institutionalize military excellence, brought the German Army back from years of atrophy and the humiliation of Napoleon's capture of Berlin. With a membership in the officer corps extended to all qualified German speaking men via national examinations, the improved education of the military schools, the intensive selection process of the top 1% graduated from the Kriegsacademie, with its new rising class of top notch and world class leaders, the German Army was set on a course of eventual near total dominance in Europe.
Following the defeat of Napoleon at the
Battle of WaterlooIn the Battle of Waterloo forces of the French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte and Michel Ney were defeated by those of the Seventh Coalition, including an Anglo-Allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington and a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard von Blücher...
the Prussian Kingdom had years of military successes in the 19th and 20th centuries. Every able bodied man between the ages of 17 and 45 was liable for military service. There were 4 classes of service -
ActiveActive may refer to:Human Activity* An active lifestyle, a lifestyle characterized by frequent or various social, intellectual, and physical activities* An "active" in a fraternity or sorority...
(Aktiv), Reserve,
LandwehrLandwehr, or Landeswehr, is a German language term used in referring to certain national armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large scale, low strength fortifications...
and
LandsturmThe Landsturm were irregular military forces in Prussia which were created on 21 April 1813 by a royal edict issued by king Frederick William III of Prussia. As such the decree was published in the preussische Gesetzesammlung . The 1813 edict called for resistance "by any means" against the...
. The
Landwehr and
Landsturm were only called up at times of war. The basic unit of the army at this time was the Regiment. Regiments were typically raised and supported by a specific city or region. Each regiment was then stationed near its home city. The Reserve regiment was often made up of past members of the local regiment. The
Landwehr and
Landsturm units were also organized the same way. An individual could spend all 22 years of military service surrounded by their friends and family. This created close ties within regiments, however, because of this system, the entire population of young men from a city or region could be wiped out in one battle.
World War I 1914–1918
The German army that fought in World War I was not in fact a single, unitary army. All the monarchies (Great Dukedom of Hesse, Great Dukedom of Baden - as example) as a part of the German empire had its own armies. Since the unification of Germany in January 1871 most of them were under prussian command but, however, wear its own style of uniforms and insignias. The four German kingdoms that existed since the Napoleonic era -
BavariaBavaria , with an area of and almost 12.5 million inhabitants, is located in the southeast of Germany and is the largest state of Germany by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
,
PrussiaPrussia was a historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries this state had substantial influence on German and European history...
,
SaxonyThe Free State of Saxony is a federal state of Germany, located in the southeastern part of present-day Germany. It is the tenth-largest German state in area and the sixth largest in population , of Germany's sixteen states.Long in the heart of German-speaking Europe, Saxony became one of the new...
and
WürttembergWürttemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
- of course had its own armies until the end of WW I. The commander in chief in peacetime of each of these armies was the King. Prussia had the largest army of the four. After the unification and the formation of the
German EmpireThe German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871 to 1918, when it became a German republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of Wilhelm II .The term Second Reich...
, the Prussian army became the nucleus of the Armies of the German Empire (
Deutsches Reichsheer). After the declaration of war, the emperor became the commander-in-chief of all the armed forces. By 1914 the German army fielded 50 active
divisionsA division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between ten to thirty thousand soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions make up a corps...
and 48 Reserve-Divisions - until 1918 251 divisions had been created.
Reichswehr 1918–1935
Following the end of World War I and the collapse of the
German EmpireThe German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871 to 1918, when it became a German republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of Wilhelm II .The term Second Reich...
, most of the German Army (
Heer) was demobilized or simply dissolved. Many former soldiers drifted into small
paramilitaryA paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military force, but which is not regarded as having the same status...
groups known as Free Corps (
FreikorpsThe designation of Freikorps was originally applied to voluntary armies formed in German lands from the middle of the 18th century onwards...
). The Free Corps were generally groups of 100 men or fewer that protected a neighbourhood or town.
On 6 March 1919 an army known as the Provisional German Defence Force (
Vorläufige Reichswehr) was formed with about 400,000 men, many drawn form the Free Corps. Then, on 30 September 1919 the Transitional Army (
Übergangsheer) was created from the Defence Force and the Free Corps.
Finally, on 1 January 1921 the 100,000 man Army of the
Weimar RepublicThe Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government, named after Weimar, the place where the constitutional assembly took place. Its official name was still Deutsches Reich , however...
(
ReichswehrThe Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
) was formed with seven Infantry Divisions and three Cavalry Divisions. In November 1923, it was troops from the Army of the Weimar Republic who crushed
Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , popularly known as the Nazi Party...
's
Beer Hall PutschThe Beer Hall Putsch was a failed attempt at revolution that occurred between the evening of 8 November and the early afternoon of 9 November 1923, when Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, Generalquartiermeister Erich Ludendorff, and other heads of the...
in
MunichMunich is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. It is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg...
.
Wehrmacht 1935–1945
Under the Treaty of Versailles, the
ReichswehrThe Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
was only allowed 100,000 men split between the Army and the
NavyThe German Navy The German Navy The German Navy (Deutsche Marine is the navy of Germany and part of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces).The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet (Reichsflotte) of the revolutionary era of 1848–1852 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which...
. Following the
1932 German electionsThe German parliamentary election of 31 July 1932, held after the premature dissolution of the Reichstag, saw great gains by the Nazi Party, which for the first time became the largest party in parliament, though without winning a majority...
the
NaziNazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany between 1933 and 1945, while it was led by Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Worker's Party . The name Third Reich refers to the state as the successor to the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages and the German...
party came to power and began to abrogate the treaty. The Army was made part of the
WehrmachtWehrmacht was the name of the unified armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe ....
in May 1935 with the passing of the "Law for the Reconstruction of the National Defence Forces". The
Wehrmacht included not just the Army and Navy but also a third branch known as the
LuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1933 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956.Schweizer Luftwaffe is also the name of the Swiss Air...
. Initially, the Army was expanded to 21 divisional-sized units and smaller formations. Between 1935 and 1945 this force grew to consist of hundreds of divisions and thousands of smaller supporting units. Between 1939 and 1945 close to 16 million served in the Army. Over 3 million were
killedWorld War II was the deadliest military conflict in history. Over 60 million people were killed. The tables below give a detailed country-by-country count of human losses.-Total dead:...
and over 4.1 million were wounded. Of the 7,361 men awarded the initial grade of the highest German combat honour of World War II, the
Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, 4,777 were from the Army, making up 65% of the total awarded. The
AlliesIn general, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose. In English usage, those who share a common goal and whose work toward that goal is complementary may be viewed as allies for various purposes even when...
dissolved the German Army on 20 August 1946.
Cold War and the 1990s
- see also: Tank formations during the Cold War
During the Cold War, NATO and the Warsaw Pact both had large tank formations present in Europe.The following gives the number of Armoured formations and tank strength as of 1981/1982.- West Germany :German Army Formations...
The
Heer was founded in 1955 as the army of West Germany. After 1990, it absorbed the army of socialist East Germany, a part of the Nationale Volksarmee. The former East German forces were initially commanded by the Bunderwehr Command East under command of Lieutenant General Jörg Schönbohm, which was disbanded on 30 June 1991. In the aftermath of the merge, the German Army consisted of four Corps with a manpower of 360,000 men. It was continuously downsized from this point. In 1996, an airborne brigade was converted into a new command leading the Army's special forces, known as the
Kommando SpezialkräfteThe Kommando Spezialkräfte is part of Germany's Special Forces. Organized under the Special Operations Division The Kommando Spezialkräfte (Special Forces Command, KSK) is part of Germany's Special Forces. Organized under the Special Operations Division The Kommando Spezialkräfte (Special Forces...
.
The 2001 onwards restructuring of the German Army saw it move to a seven division structure – 5 mechanised (each with two mechanised brigades), 1 special forces, and one airmobile.
In 2003, three Corps still existed, each including various combat formations and a maintenance brigade.
I. German/Dutch Corps1 German/Netherlands Corps is a multinational formation consisting of units from both the Royal Dutch Army and German Army. It is also part of NATO's Response Force, a military force consisting of approximately 25,000 troops. The Corps' headquarters are situated in Münster , formerly the...
, a joint German-Netherlands organisation, used to control in peacetime the 1st Panzer and 7th Panzer Divisions as well as Dutch formations. The 1st Panzer would have reported to the corps in wartime while the 7th would be posted to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. II Corps was German in peacetime but would have exchanged a division with the V U.S. Corps in time of war (the 5th Panzer). 5 Pz Division disbanded as of 30 June 2001. In peacetime it also commanded the 10th Panzer Division, which was allocated to
EurocorpsEurocorps is a multinational army corps within the framework of the Western European Union common defence initiatives. Headquartered in Strasbourg, France, the force was established in 1992 and declared operational in 1995, though it draws from European defence initiatives as far back as the...
and which parents the German half of the
Franco-German BrigadeThe Franco-German Brigade is a joint formation consisting of units from both the French and German armies and is integrated in Eurocorps.-History:...
. The 1st Mountain Division at Munich was also under this headquarters.
The IV Corps was headquartered at
PotsdamPotsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and is part of the Metropolitan area of Berlin/Brandenburg. It is situated on the River Havel, some 25 kilometres southwest of the centre of Berlin....
in eastern Germany and controlled two Panzer-Grenadier Divisions, the 13th and 14th. The 14th Panzer-Grenadier Division also took control of units in Western Germany re-subordinated from the 6th Division when it lost its command function. It would have made up the German contribution to the Multinational Corps Northeast in time of war. IV Corps also used to have under its command the Military District Command I, the 1st Air Mechanised Brigade, and the Berlin Command ('Standortkommando').
Current Army
The current structure is called the "Army of the future". All corps have now been disbanded or transferred to a multinational level such as
Multinational Corps North EastMultinational Corps Northeast was formed on 18 September 1999 at Szczecin, Poland, which became its headquarters. It evolved from what was for many years the only multinational corps in NATO, Allied Land Forces Schleswig-Holstein and Jutland...
. IV. Corps was reorganized and became a overseas deployment command like the British
Permanent Joint HeadquartersThe Permanent Joint Headquarters is the British tri-service headquarters from where all overseas military operations are planned and controlled...
.
Personnel
A total of 100,000 soldiers are currently on active service in the German Army. Of these, approximately 17,000 are draftees. Additionally, a further 35,000 personnel are reservists of the German Army
reserve forceA military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
.
Current structure of the German Army
The German Army is commanded by the Chief of Staff, Army (
Inspekteur des Heeres) based at the Federal Ministry of Defence in Berlin and
BonnBonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 20 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990...
. The major commands are the German Army Office in
CologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants...
and the German Army Forces Command in
KoblenzKoblenz is a city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz Koblenz (also Coblenz in pre-1926 German spellings; French Coblence) is a city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the...
. In 2002 a number of army units and their personnel were transferred to the newly-formed
Joint Support ServiceStreitkräftebasis is a branch of the German Bundeswehr established in October 2000 as a result of major reforms of the German Bundeswehr. It handles various logistics and organisational tasks of the German Armed Forces...
(
Streitkräftebasis) and Joint Medical Service branches.
Chief of Staff, German Army
- Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Hans-Otto Budde
- Army Staff at the Federal Ministry of Defence
The Federal Ministry of Defence is a ministry in the German Cabinet. It is headquartered at Hardthöhe in Bonn and has a second office in the Bendlerblock building in Berlin...
40px German Army Office
The German Army Office in
CologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants...
(
Heeresamt) is the superior authority for all supporting elements of the Army, such as schools and education centres. It is commanded by a
Major GeneralMajor General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of Sergeant Major General. A Major General is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of Lieutenant General and senior to the ranks of Brigadier and Brigadier General...
, currently MajGen Joachim Clauß.
- NBC Defence and Self-Protection School in Sonthofen
Sonthofen is the most southerly town of Germany, located in the Oberallgäu region of the Bavarian Alps. Neighbouring Oberstdorf, is situated 14 km farther south but is not classified as a town. Sonthofen is located at...
- Military Police and Headquarters Services School in Sonthofen
- Artillery School in Idar-Oberstein
Idar-Oberstein is a city in the Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. It is The German Capital of Gemstone Industry. The city lies on the Nahe River, in the district of Birkenfeld...
- Three Officer Candidate Battalions in Idar-Oberstein
Idar-Oberstein is a city in the Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. It is The German Capital of Gemstone Industry. The city lies on the Nahe River, in the district of Birkenfeld...
, MunsterMunster is a municipality in the county Soltau-Fallingbostel, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The city is home to the German Army's largest garrison and is situated between two training grounds...
and HammelburgHammelburg is a town in the district of Bad Kissingen, in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Fränkische Saale, 25 km west of Schweinfurt...
- Special Operations Training Centre (formerly International Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol School) in Pfullendorf
Pfullendorf is a small historic city in the district of Sigmaringen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.-Geography:Its location is in the district of Sigmaringen, 25 km north of Lake Constance and south of the Danube valley and therefore on the continental divide between the watersheds of the...
- Army Warfighting Simulation Centre in Wildflecken
Wildflecken is a municipality in the Bad Kissingen district, at the border of northeastern Bavaria and southern Hesse. In 2005, its population was 3,285; the postal code is 97772. Wildflecken is in the picturesque Rhön hills and nature-park....
- Army Combat Training Centre in Letzlingen
Letzlingen is a municipality in the district Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany....
- Army Aviation School in Bückeburg
Bückeburg is a small town in Lower Saxony, Germany, on the border with North Rhine Westphalia. It was once the capital of the tiny principality of Schaumburg-Lippe and is today located in the district of Schaumburg close to the northern slopes of the Weserbergland ridge...
- Training Centre Munster
Munster is a municipality in the county Soltau-Fallingbostel, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The city is home to the German Army's largest garrison and is situated between two training grounds...
for
- Army Air Defence
- Armour
- Reconnaissance
- Mountain and Winter Combat School in Mittenwald
Mittenwald is a German town in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Bavaria.- Geography :Mittenwald is located approx. 16 kilometers to the south-east of Garmisch-Partenkirchen...
- Infantry School in Hammelburg
Hammelburg is a town in the district of Bad Kissingen, in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Fränkische Saale, 25 km west of Schweinfurt...
- Airborne Operations and Air Transport School in Altenstadt
Altenstadt may refer to the following places:*in Germany:**Altenstadt, Hesse, in the Wetterau district**Altenstadt, Swabia, in the district Neu-Ulm, Bavaria**Altenstadt, Upper Bavaria, in the district Weilheim-Schongau, Bavaria...
- Army Officers' Academy in Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
with Army Tactics Centre
- Army NCO Academies (three at different locations)
- Engineer School and Army School of Structural Engineering in Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As of December 31, 2005, Ingolstadt had 121,801 residents. It is part of the Munich Metropolitan Area with a population of more than 5 million.Ingolstadt is...
(formerly in MunichMunich is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. It is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg...
)
- Army Maintenance School and Army School of Engineering in Aachen
Aachen is a historic spa city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the medieval Kings of Germany...
40px German Army Forces Command
The German Army Forces Command in
KoblenzKoblenz is a city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz Koblenz (also Coblenz in pre-1926 German spellings; French Coblence) is a city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the...
(
Heeresführungskommando) exercises command and control over all combat units. It is commanded by a Lieutenant General.
These units include two armour divisions, two mechanized infantry divisions, the Division for Specialized Operations and the Airmobile Division.
Depending on their size and role, brigades can be commanded either by a Brigadier General alike or a
ColonelColonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country in the world. It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. Unlike other European armies such of neighbouring Netherlands and France,
regimentA regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. A regiment can be broken into two distinct categories, one being an administrative unit which is responsible for non-operational management of battalions , while the other being a deployable combat...
s are no common form of organization and thus rare in the German army. Battalions are most likely directly subordinate to brigades or to divisions as divisional troops.
-
Division Intervention Forces/ 1st Armoured Division (Hannover)
- Divisional troops
- 9th Armoured Brigade
- 21st Armoured Brigade "Lipperland
Lippe was a historical state in Germany. It was located between the Weser River and the southeast part of the Teutoburg forest.-History:...
"
-
10th Armoured DivisionThe 10th Armoured Division is an armoured division in the German Army of the Bundeswehr.Its staff is based at Sigmaringen. The division is a unit of the German Army's stabilization forces and specialized on conflicts of low intensity.- History :This division was founded as the 10. Panzerdivision...
(SigmaringenSigmaringen is a town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Situated on the upper Danube, it is the capital of the Sigmaringen district....
)
- Divisional troops
- 12th Armoured Brigade "Oberpfalz
The Upper Palatinate is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of Bavaria. It is subdivided into two regions - Oberpfalz-Nord and Regensburg.- History :...
"
- 23rd Mountain Infantry Brigade "Bayern
Bavaria , with an area of and almost 12.5 million inhabitants, is located in the southeast of Germany and is the largest state of Germany by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
"
-
13th Mechanized Infantry DivisionThe 13th Mechanized Infantry Division is a mechanized division of the German Army.Its staff is based at Leipzig...
(LeipzigLeipzig is, with a population of 515,459, the largest city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany.-Origins:Leipzig's name is derived from the Slavic word Lipsk, which means "settlement where the lime trees stand"....
)
- Divisional troops
- 37th Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Freistaat Sachsen
The Free State of Saxony is a federal state of Germany, located in the southeastern part of present-day Germany. It is the tenth-largest German state in area and the sixth largest in population , of Germany's sixteen states.Long in the heart of German-speaking Europe, Saxony became one of the new...
"
- 41st Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Vorpommern
Western Pomerania or Hither Pomerania are terms used in English to translate the German Vorpommern the western extremity of the historic region of the duchy, later Province of Pomerania, nowadays divided between the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Poland...
"
-
Special Operations Division (RegensburgRegensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
)
- Divisional troops
- Special Forces Command
The Kommando Spezialkräfte is part of Germany's Special Forces. Organized under the Special Operations Division The Kommando Spezialkräfte (Special Forces Command, KSK) is part of Germany's Special Forces. Organized under the Special Operations Division The Kommando Spezialkräfte (Special Forces...
(brigade-equivalent)
- 26th Airborne Brigade "Saarland
Saarland is one of the 16 federal states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest of the German Flächenländer , i.e., those that are not city-states...
"
- 31st Airborne Brigade "Oldenburg
|Oldenburg is an Independent City in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 158,341 which makes it the fourth biggest in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig and...
"
-
Airmobile Operations DivisionAirmobile Operations Division is a division of the German Army. Its staff is based at Veitshöchheim near Würzburg. The division was founded on 1 July 2002 and became fully operational on 8 October 2002. It incorporates units from various branches of the German Army. These units are stationed all...
(VeitshöchheimVeitshöchheim is a municipality in the district of Würzburg, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Main, 6 km northwest of Würzburg. In the town is Schloss Veitshöchheim; this summer palace of the Prince-Bishops of Würzburg was built in 1680-82, and was enlarged to its...
)
- Divisional troops
- Airmobile Brigade 1
- Army Combat Support Brigade
-
EurocorpsEurocorps is a multinational army corps within the framework of the Western European Union common defence initiatives. Headquartered in Strasbourg, France, the force was established in 1992 and declared operational in 1995, though it draws from European defence initiatives as far back as the...
(StraßburgStrasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in north-eastern France. With 702,412 inhabitants in 2007, its metropolitan area is the ninth largest in France...
)
- Command Support Brigade
- German elements in two permanent battalions and one staff company
-
1 (German/Netherlands) Corps (MünsterMünster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region and it is also capital of the local government region Regierungsbezirk Münster...
)
- German elements in two permanent battalions and one staff company
-
Multinational Corps North EastMultinational Corps Northeast was formed on 18 September 1999 at Szczecin, Poland, which became its headquarters. It evolved from what was for many years the only multinational corps in NATO, Allied Land Forces Schleswig-Holstein and Jutland...
(StettinSzczecin - is the capital city of West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of the 2005 census the city had a total population of 420,638. In 2007 its population was 407,811.Szczecin is located on the...
)
- 610th Signal Battalion
- German elements
-
Franco-German BrigadeThe Franco-German Brigade is a joint formation consisting of units from both the French and German armies and is integrated in Eurocorps.-History:...
MüllheimMüllheim is a town in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It belongs to the district Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald. Mullheim is generally considered to be the center of the region known as Markgräflerland.-History:...
-
Army Central Dump HerongenStraelen is a municipality in the district of Cleves, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located near the border with the Netherlands, approx. 10 km north-east of Venlo.Straelen was first mentioned in Latin as Strala in 1063.-External links:...
-
Army Central Dump PirmasensPirmasens is a district-free city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, near the border with France. It is famous for the manufacture of shoes. The surrounding rural district was called Pirmasens from 1818 until 1997, when it was renamed Südwestpfalz....
-
Central Mobilisation Base in BrückBrück is a town in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated 29 km southwest of Potsdam, and 28 km southeast of Brandenburg. Parts of Brück are located in the High Fläming Nature Park....
Truppengattungen
The German Army has eleven different branches of troops, designated as
Truppengattungen. Each
Truppengattung is responsible for training and readiness of its units and disposes of its own schools and centres of excellence for doing so.
Optically this distinction can be made by the branch colour, called
Waffenfarbe which is displayed by a cord attached to the rank insignia, and the colour of their beret with a specific badge attached to it.
Beret Colour (Army only)
- Black: Armoured Corps, Reconnaissance Corps
- Green: Mechanized Infantry and Rifles Corps
- Dark Red: Aviation Corps, Airborne Corps, Special Forces, formations assigned to airborne division
- Light Red: Combat Support Corps and Military Police
- Dark Blue: Medical Corps
- Navy Blue: Multinational Units, Officer Cadet Battalions, Navy and Air Force Security Units
- Bright Blue: Troops with United Nations Missions
WaffenfarbeWaffenfarbe is a means the German military uses to distinguish between different corps or troop functions in its armed services. The waffenfarbe is the colour of the collar badge, of the cord around the shoulder boards and - for enlisted ranks - of the cord around the collar and the schiffchen cap...
(Army and army support branch only)
- Bright Red:General ranks (only "Kragenspiegel", not "Litze"),
- Crimson: General Staff
Rank structure
The rank structure of the German army is adjusted to the rank structure of the NATO. Unlike its predecessors, the modern German Army does not use the rank of
Colonel GeneralColonel General is a senior military rank which is used in some of the world’s militaries. North Korea and Russia are two nations which have used the rank extensively throughout their histories...
.
The highest rank for an army officer is
Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
, as the rank of
Full GeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank. The term or equivalent is used by nearly every country in the world. General can be used as a generic term for all grades of general officer, or it can specifically refer to a single rank that is simply called general.-All general officer...
is reserved for the Armed Forces chief of staff or officers serving as NATO officers.
Officer cadets do not pass through all enlisted ranks, but are directly promoted to
LieutenantLieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service, emergency medical services or police officer rank....
after 36 months of service.
Equivalent US Army ranks are shown below according to "STANAG 2116 NSA MC LO (EDITION 6) – NATO CODES FOR GRADES OF MILITARY PERSONNEL":
Officers of the German Army |
| General A general officer is an officer of high military rank. The term or equivalent is used by nearly every country in the world. General can be used as a generic term for all grades of general officer, or it can specifically refer to a single rank that is simply called general.-All general officer...
(General)
Gen |
Lieutenant General Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
(Generalleutnant)
GenLt/GL
|
Major General Major General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of Sergeant Major General. A Major General is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of Lieutenant General and senior to the ranks of Brigadier and Brigadier General...
(Generalmajor)
GenMaj/GM |
Brigadier General Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General.The rank can be traced back to the militaries of Europe where a brigadier general, or simply a brigadier, would command a brigade in the field...
(Brigadegeneral)
BrigGen/BG
|
ColonelColonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country in the world. It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
(OberstOberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway...
)
Oberst/O |
Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
(Oberstleutnant)
Oberstlt/OTL |
| OF-9 |
OF-8 |
OF-7 |
OF-6 |
OF-5 |
OF-4 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Non-Commissioned Officers of the German Army |
Sergeant (officer cadet)
(Fähnrich)
Fähnr/FR |
Sergeant
(FeldwebelFeldwebel is a German military rank which has existed since at least the 18th century with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. The word Feldwebel is usually, but incorrectly, translated as Sergeant...
)
Fw/F |
Staff Corporal
(Stabsunteroffizier)
StUffz/SU
|
Corporal (officer cadet)
(FahnenjunkerA cadet is a trainee officer in the military, a junior branch of an important family, or simply a person who is a junior trainee.- Etymology :...
)
Fhj/FJ |
Corporal
(UnteroffizierUnteroffizier is both a specific military rank as well as a collective term for non-commissioned officers of the German military that has existed since the 19th century. The rank existed as a title as early as the 17th century with the first widespread usage occurring in the Bavarian Army of the...
)
Uffz/U |
| OR-6 |
OR-6 |
OR-5 |
OR-5 |
OR-5 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Standard light weapons
- Heckler & Koch G36
The G36 is a German 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch and accepted into service with the Bundeswehr in 1997, replacing the 7.62mm G3 battle rifle.-Development:...
—5.56 mm x 45 assault rifleAn assault rifle is a rifle designed for combat, with selective fire . Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies, having largely superseded or supplemented larger and more powerful battle rifles such as the M14, FN FAL and the Heckler & Koch G3...
(Version G36K and G36C for several branches including Special Forces)
- Heckler & Koch MG4—5.56 mm light machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rifle bullets in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute...
- MG3
The MG 3 is a German general purpose machine gun chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. The weapon's design is derived from the World War II era MG 42 universal machine gun that fired the 7.92x57mm Mauser round....
—7.62 mm x 51 machine gun
- G8—7.62 mm x 51 automatic rifle, only used by special forces
- HK21E—7.62 mm x 51 machine gun, only used by special forces
- Heckler & Koch MP7
The MP7 is a German submachine gun manufactured by Heckler & Koch and chambered for the 4.6x30mm cartridge. It was designed in conjunction with the new cartridge to meet NATO requirements published in 1989 calling for a personal defense weapon class firearm with a greater ability to defeat body...
—4.6 mm x 30 submachine gunA submachine gun is a firearm that combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol, and is usually between the two in weight and size...
, replacing the MP2
- MP2
The Uzi is a related family of open bolt, blowback-operated submachine guns. Smaller variants are considered to be machine pistols...
—9 x 19 mm submachine gun
- Heckler & Koch MP5
The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a 9mm submachine gun of German design, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar.It is currently used by the armed forces and law enforcement units of over 40 countries...
—9 x 19 mm submachine gun, used by various units like the FeldjägerThe Feldjäger are the military police of the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces. The term Feldjäger, literally meaning field huntsmen, has a long tradition and dates back to the mid-17th century...
and special forces
- Heckler & Koch P8
The USP is a semi-automatic pistol developed in Germany by Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar as a replacement for the P7 series of handguns.-History:...
—9 x 19 mm pistol
- Remington 870
The Remington Model 870 is a U.S.-made pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms Company, Inc. It is widely used by the public for target shooting, hunting, and self-defense...
- shotgun, used in small numbers by special forces and the military police (Feldjäger)
- G22
The AWM is a sniper rifle manufactured by Accuracy International. It is also known as the AWSM .-The Arctic Warfare Magnum system:...
—7.62 mm x 66.5B.300 Winchester Magnum is a popular magnum rifle cartridge that was introduced by Winchester Repeating Arms Company in 1963 as a member of the family of Winchester Magnum cartridges...
sniper rifleIn military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a rifle used to ensure accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military centerfire cartridge...
- G24—sniper rifle, only used by special forces
- G82—sniper rifle
- HK MSG3—7.62 mm x 51 designated marksman rifle
- Dynamit Nobel Panzerfaust 3
The Panzerfaust 3 is a modern and disposable recoilless RPG anti-tank weapon developed between 1978 and 1985 and put into service by the Bundeswehr in 1992...
—anti-tank rocket launcherA shoulder-launched missile weapon is a weapon that fires a projectile at a target, yet is small enough to be carried by a single person, and fired while held on one's shoulder. "Missile" is used here in the original broad sense: today the word has a strong connotation with the concept of a guided...
- Raytheon Fliegerfaust 2 (FIM-92 Stinger)
The FIM-92 Stinger is a personal portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile developed in the United States and entered into service in 1981. Used by the militaries of the U.S...
—infraredInfrared radiation is electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is longer than that of visible light , but shorter than that of terahertz radiation and microwaves...
homing surface-to-air missileA Surface to Air Missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft. It is a type of anti-aircraft system....
- MILAN
MILAN is a European anti-tank guided missile. Design of the MILAN started in 1962. It was ready for trials in 1971, and was accepted for service in 1972. It is a wire guided SACLOS missile, which means the sight of the launch unit has to be aimed at the target to guide the missile...
—anti-tank guided missile system
- Granatpistole 40mm—grenade launcher
A grenade launcher is a weapon that launches a grenade with more accuracy, higher velocity, and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand....
- HK GMG—grenade autocannon
An autocannon is a rapid-fire projectile weapon firing a shell as opposed to the bullet fired by a machine gun. Autocannon often have a larger caliber than a machine gun . Usually, autocannon are smaller than a field gun or other artillery, and are mechanically loaded for a faster rate of fire...
- AG36
The AG36 is a single-shot 40 mm grenade launcher designed primarily for installation on the G36 assault rifle, designed by the German weapons manufacturing company Heckler & Koch of Oberndorf am Neckar. It originally appeared as Heckler & Koch's candidate for the US Army's Enhanced Grenade Launcher...
—grenade launcher
- KM2000
The KM2000 is the standard knife of the German Bundeswehr, mostly used by the German Army. Knife is manufactured in Germany by the Eickhorn-Solingen company ....
—172 mm tantōA is a common Japanese single or, occasionally, double edged knife or dagger with a blade length between 15 and 30 cm . The tantō was designed primarily as a stabbing weapon, but the edge can be used for slashing as well. Tantō first began to appear in the Heian period, however these blades lacked...
style blade standard combat knifeA knife is any cutting edge or blade, handheld or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools. Originally made of rock, flint, and obsidian; knives have evolved in construction as technology has with blades...
Reconnaissance systems
- Fennek
The Fennek, named after the fennec , or LGS Fennek, with LGS being short for Leichter Gepanzerter Spähwagen in German , is a four wheeled armed reconnaissance vehicle produced by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Dutch Defence Vehicle Systems...
(wheeled armoured reconnaissance vehicle), replacing the Spähpanzer LuchsThe Spähpanzer Luchs is a German 8x8 amphibious reconnaissance armoured fighting vehicle in service since 1975 by the German Army, who used a total of 408 in their armoured reconnaissance battalions...
- Luna X 2000
Luna X 2000 is a German unmanned aerial vehicle in service with the Bundeswehr and produced by EMT Prenzberg of Germany....
(reconnaissance drone system)
- KZO
KZO is an unmanned aerial vehicle with stealth characteristics manufactured by Rheinmetall Defence Electronics of Germany....
(reconnaissance drone system)
- Aladin
EMT Aladin is a small, man-portable light reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle employed by the Bundeswehr .The UAV can be radio-controlled via a portable control station, or fly according to previously set GPS...
(reconnaissance drone system)
- Camcopter S-100
The Camcopter S-100 is a helicopter UAV, produced by the Austrian company Schiebel. It was developed from 2003 to 2005. With a maximum take-off weight of , its endurance is 6 hours. It has a maximum speed of and a ceiling of...
(VTOLVTOL is an abbreviation for Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft. See also V/STOL. This classification includes fixed-wing aircraft that can hover, take off and land vertically as well as helicopters and other aircraft with powered rotors, such as tiltrotors...
reconnaissance drone system, procurement planned)
- MIKADO (mini reconnaissance drone system)
- RASIT (radar system), being phased out
- BÜR (ground surveillance radar system, based on Dingo 2)
Statistics
- Leopard 2
The Leopard 2 is a German main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the early 1970s and first entering service in 1979. The Leopard 2 replaced the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and twelve other European...
(Main Battle Tank)
- A4, being phased out
- A5
- A6
- Marder 1 A3/A5
The Marder is a German infantry fighting vehicle operated by the German Army as the main weapon of the Panzergrenadiere from the 1970s through the present day. Developed as part of the rebuilding of Germany's armoured fighting vehicle industry, the Marder has proven to be a successful and solid...
(infantry fighting vehicle)
- Spz Puma
The Puma is a German infantry fighting vehicle, currently in the pre-production stage. It will replace the aging Marder IFVs, from 2010 through 2020. Governing company is PSM Projekt System Management, a joint venture of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall Landsysteme...
(infantry fighting vehicle), replaces the Marder in the Mechanized Infantry, being delivered
- Wiesel 1/2 (armoured weapons carrier),
- as a reconnaissance vehicle for the airborne troops
- with autocannon 20 mm
- with TOW anti-tank guided missile
- with mortar 120 mm
- as a radar vehicle for the light air defence system (LeFlaSys)
- as a command vehicle for the LeFlaSys
- as an engineer reconnaissance vehicle
- with Stinger equipped for the LeFlaSys
- as a medical vehicle for the airborne troops
- IAI Harop
The IAI Harop is an unmanned combat air vehicle developed by the Malat division of Israel Aerospace Industries. Rather than holding a separate high-explosive warhead, the drone itself is the main munition. This hunter-killer is designed to loiter the battlefield and attack targets by...
(unmanned combat aerial vehicle), loitering munition in combination with Rheinmetall KZO, ordered
- M113 A2
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that formed the backbone of the U.S. Army's mobile infantry units from the time of its introduction in the 1960s. It was partly replaced by the M2 Bradley which was one of many later vehicles designed from the outset to be a more heavily armed...
(multirole armoured vehicle) being phased out
- GTK Boxer
The Boxer is a German-Dutch multirole armoured fighting vehicle designed to accomplish a number of operations through the use of installable mission modules. It is produced by the ARTEC GmbH industrial group, and the programme is being managed by OCCAR...
(multirole armoured vehicle) to replace M113 and TPz Fuchs (planned)
- Dingo 1/2
The ATF Dingo is a German heavily armored military infantry mobility vehicle based on a Unimog chassis with a V-hull design, produced by the company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. It is designed to withstand land mines, rifle fire, artillery fragments and NBC-threats. ATF stands for...
(armoured wheeled vehicle)
- Eagle IV
The MOWAG Eagle is a wheeled armored vehicle designed by the Swiss MOWAG corporation. It has gone through several generations of development. The current vehicle, introduced in November 2003, is the Eagle IV, which is based on the Duro IIIP chassis...
(armoured wheeled vehicle)
- LAPV Enok
The LAPV Enok is an armoured military vehicle of the Bundeswehr, mostly in use with the German Army. It is a significantly further developed Wolf SSA, based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class....
(light armoured patrol vehicle)
- Grizzly
The KMW Grizzly is a medium weight highly protected vehicle, developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann , designed for operation with the German Army based on the 6x6 Trakker chassis from IVECO adapted to meet the needs of the German Army...
(armoured wheeled vehicle)
- AGF Serval
The Aufklärungs- und Gefechtsfahrzeug , sometimes also called the Serval, is a significantly modified version of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class procurred by the German Army for the KSK special forces in 2003...
(reconnaissance and combat vehicle)
- DURO III
The MOWAG DURO is a tactical military vehicle in both four and six wheel drive. Initially developed for Switzerland by Bucher-Guyer AG in Niederweningen, Switzerland, who started production of all-wheel-drive trucks in 1976. An initial 3,000 vehicles order for the Swiss Armed Forces came through...
(armoured wheeled vehicle)
- YAK
The YAK is a heavily armored and mine-protected transport vehicle produced by the German company Rheinmetall Landsysteme AG based on the DURO IIIP chassis from the Swiss company MOWAG GmbH...
(armoured wheeled vehicle), based on DURO III
- Mungo ESK
The Mungo ESK is an air-transportable, armoured multirole transport vehicle of the German Army for its Airmobile Operations Division and Division Special Operations. It is based on the Multicar M30/FUMO and is produced by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall...
(armoured transport vehicle)
- TPz Fuchs (multirole armoured vehicle)
- BV 206 S
Bandvagn 206 is a tracked articulated, all-terrain carrier developed by Hägglunds for the Swedish Army. It consists of two units, with all four tracks powered...
(tracked armoured transport vehicle)
Artillery
- M270 MLRS
The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System is a multiple rocket launcher, a type of rocket artillery.The first rocket systems were delivered to the U.S. Army in 1983. The system is in widespread use in NATO countries and it has also been manufactured in Europe. Some 1,300 M270 systems have been...
(227 mm multiple rocket launcher)
- PzH 2000 (155 mm self-propelled howitzer)
- ABRA (artillery radar system), being phased out
- Mortar TAMPELLA (120 mm)
- Mortar "R" (120 mm)
- COBRA (counter artillery radar system)
- ATMAS (artillery weather measure system)
- SMA (artillery sound measure system)
Air Defence Systems
- Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard
The Flakpanzer Gepard is an autonomous, all-weather-capable German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun . It was developed in the 1960s and fielded in the 1970s, and has been upgraded several times with the latest electronics...
1 A2 (self-propelled anti air gun)
- LeFlaSys (light anti-aircraft missile system), based on Wiesel 2
- MANTIS
Nächstbereichschutzsystem MANTIS, formerly titled as NBS-C-RAM , is the latest very short-range protection system of the German Army intended for base-protection, particularly in Afghanistan, produced by Rheinmetall of Germany...
(stationary counter rocket, artillery, and mortar system for base protection), to be delivered in 2011
- SysFla (system air defence - mobile and stationary platforms using the LFK NG
LFK NG, which stands for "Lenkflugkörper Neue Generation" , is currently under development by LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme and Diehl BGT Defence as the new short-range surface-to-air missile system for the German Army as a replacement for its former Roland air defence systems and as a part of the...
and MANTIS), under development
- LÜR (radar system), being phased out
Engineer equipment
- Dachs (tracked engineer tank)
- Büffel (tracked salvage tank)
- Biber (bridge layer)
- Panzerschnellbrücke 2 (bridge layer), replacing the Biber
- Skorpion (mine layer)
- Keiler (mine breaker)
- M3 Amphibious Rig
The M3 Amphibious Rig is a self-propelled amphibious bridging vehicle that is used for the projection of tanks and vehicles across water obstacles.-Development and service:...
(amphibious vehicle)
- Motorboot 3 (motorboat)
- Medium Girder Bridge (bridge system)
- Faltfestbrücke (solid bridge system)
- Faltschwimmbrücke (swimming bridge system)
- Pontoon bridge
- Faltstraßensystem (mobile roadway system)
Aircraft inventory
The German Army operates more than 320 helicopters. Nearly all were built in Germany while nearly 40% are indigenous designs. 80
Eurocopter TigerThe Eurocopter Tiger is an attack helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter. In Germany it is known as the Tiger; in France and Spain it is called the Tigre.-Development:...
and 80 NH90 helicopters have been ordered.
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Notes
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Attack HelicopterAn attack helicopter is a military helicopter specifically designed and built to carry weapons for attacking targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry, armored vehicles and structures. Weapons used on attack helicopters can include autocannons, machine-guns, rockets, and guided missiles such...
|-
| Eurocopter TigerThe Eurocopter Tiger is an attack helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter. In Germany it is known as the Tiger; in France and Spain it is called the Tigre.-Development:...
|
| attack helicopter
|
| 5
| 80 (planned), entered service
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport/UtilityA Utility Helicopter is a multi-role helicopter. A utility military helicopter can fill roles such as ground attack, air assault, cargo, reconnaissance and troop transport. Their size is generally between cargo helicopters and light observation helicopters....
HelicopterA helicopter is an aircraft that is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors, each rotor consisting of two or more rotor blades. Helicopters are classified as rotorcraft or rotary-wing aircraft to distinguish them from fixed-wing aircraft because the helicopter achieves lift with the...
|-
| UH-1 IroquoisThe UH-1 Iroquois is a multipurpose military helicopter, famous for its use in the Vietnam War. It is commonly known as the "Huey"....
|
| utility helicopter
| UH-1D
| 82
| being withdrawn; built by Dornier
|- style="background:#efefef; color:black"
| Bölkow Bo 105The MBB Bo 105 is a light, twin-engine, multi-purpose utility helicopter developed by Bölkow of Stuttgart, Germany. Production began under Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm , which became a part of Eurocopter in 1991. Eurocopter continued to produce the Bo 105 until 2001...
|
| utility/attack helicopter
| 105P
| 104
|
|-
| Eurocopter EC 135The EC 135 is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules .-Development:...
|
| utility helicopter
| EC135
| 15
|
|- style="background:#efefef; color:black"
| NHI NH90The NHI NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries. It has been ordered by several nations, and entered service from 2007.-Design and development:...
|
| transport helicopter
| NH90 TTH
| 3
| 80 (planned)
|-
| Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion
|
| transport helicopter
| CH-53G/CH-53GS
| 101
| 110 built by VFW
|}
Logistic equipment
- SLT 50-3 Elefant
300px|thumb|A SLT 50-3 Elefant of the [[German Army]], [[Kosovo]], July 2002.The SLT 50 is a heavy duty tractor unit and tank transporter currently in use by the German Army.-History:...
(heavy tractor trailer, tank transporterA tank transporter is a specialized road vehicle for the transport of tanks, to and from the battlefield or during peacetime. They are necessary to limit the mileage of the tracked vehicles and also to reduce wear on road surfaces which can easily be damaged by such heavy vehicles...
)
- Berge- und Kranfahrzeug, BKF 30.40 (salvage vehicle)
Non-combat vehicles
- Mercedes-Benz 250 GD "Wolf"
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class or G-Wagen, short for Geländewagen , is a four-wheel drive vehicle / sport utility vehicle produced by German automaker Mercedes-Benz. The Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in Iran, a that-time major Daimler-Benz shareholder, proposed the development of a military vehicle in the...
- KTM LC4 Military 27 PS, motorcycle
- ATV Yamaha Kodiak 400, Quad
- LKW 2t mil gl, 4x4 (Unimog)
Unimog designates a range of multi-purpose four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device...
- LKW 5t mil gl, 4x4
- LKW 5t tmil, 4x4
- LKW 7t mil gl, 6x6
- LKW 7t tmil, 6x6
- LKW 10t mil gl, 8x8
- LKW 15t mil gl, 8x8
- LKW 15t mil gl MULTI, 8x8
- Volkswagen T platform (T3/T4)
See also
- Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr comprises the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
- Tank Battalions of the German Army 1956 - 2008
-Active units:
PanzerlehrbataillonErected April 1956 in Munster
renamed December 1958 in Panzerlehrbataillon 93
...
- Infantryman of the Future
Infanterist der Zukunft is the German Bundeswehr's program as part of the Future Soldier project.The IdZ or "Infanterist der Zukunft" is a modular, integrated fighting system designed to provide significant lethality, survivability, mobility, battle command, and training to the German infantryman...
- History of Germany during World War II
The history of Germany during World War II closely parallels that of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933. From that point onward, Germany followed a policy of rearmament and confrontation with other countries...
- Prussian Army
The Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War. Elector Frederick William developed it into a viable...
- Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
External links
Historical links