The head of the Reserve Forces Association, Patrick Sensburg, has expressed doubts about the readiness of the new Home Defense Division of the German Bundeswehr. There is a risk, he said in an interview, that “a ghost army is being created, which, for the most part, only exists on paper and is never trained.”
Sensburg emphasized that the reserve can only contribute to deterrence if it is provided with the necessary equipment. He listed examples of what is lacking, including vehicles, communication tools, drones, mortars, and ammunition, stating that the division is still missing these essential elements for a defense capability.
The association’s leader also called for the reserve to focus on recruiting, as the planned strength of the division, with half of its members being reserve soldiers and the other half active soldiers, is not yet being met. The Bundeswehr currently lacks around 20,000 soldiers to reach its planned strength of 200,000.
In a separate interview, FDP defense expert Alexander Müller suggested increasing the number of “desk soldiers” in the active force and redeploying the freed personnel to other areas where they are urgently needed. He argued that by streamlining the command structure and freeing up personnel, the Bundeswehr can gain in strength and effectiveness.
The new Home Defense Division, consisting of reserve and active soldiers, is intended to secure infrastructure, such as bridges, supply facilities, and military installations in Germany, in the event of an emergency, with a strength of around 12,000 soldiers.