Germany is weighing plans to acquire up to 2,500 infantry fighting vehicles and as many as 1,000 tanks as part of a broader European initiative to form new brigades aimed at strengthening deterrence against Russia.
According to Bloomberg, NATO has requested that Germany contribute seven additional brigades to the Alliance over the next decade. If the procurement is approved, the armored vehicles would be used to equip these new units.
According to the publication, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and senior Bundeswehr generals are considering the procurement of up to 1,000 Leopard 2 tanks and up to 2,500 GTK Boxer infantry fighting vehicles.
The total cost of the order could reach up to €25 billion, according to sources cited by the publication, although they noted that since procurement talks continued, the final amount might be lower.
The order is expected to be finalized in the coming months, with lawmakers potentially giving the green light by the end of the year.
In addition, the Bundeswehr has already received preliminary approval to acquire more than 1,000 Finnish Patria armored personnel carriers, which will replace the outdated Fuchs APCs.
The new vehicles may be purchased as part of the international Common Armored Vehicle System (CAVS) project. Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Germany are currently participating in this multinational program.
The Finnish company Patria will collaborate with KDNS and Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) to produce the Patria AMV. Around 90% of the production is expected to take place in Germany. According to sources cited by the publication, the value of the order could reach up to €2 billion.
Germany, meanwhile, plans to increase its defense spending to 3.5% of its gross domestic product by 2029 — amounting to €153 billion. This would be the country’s largest military budget since reunification.
For implementation of these plans, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government has temporarily suspended the constitutional “debt brake,” allowing part of the spending to be financed through borrowing, even if it exceeds the 1% of GDP cap.
Meanwhile, the German Bundeswehr plans to increase its troop numbers by 50,000 to 60,000 personnel in the first phase. As part of this expansion, the total size of the Bundeswehr could grow to between 250,000 and 260,000 troops. Additionally, there are plans to gradually raise the total number to 460,000 soldiers, including both regular forces and reservists.
