Germany is preparing a 10-billion-euro civil defense program featuring bomb shelters and a system of routes to shelters via the NINA app.
This was reported by the German media outlet WELT, citing statements by German Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt.
According to the plan, by 2029, the German government is set to invest approximately €10 billion in strengthening the country’s civil protection amid risks of war, hybrid threats, and large-scale emergencies.
The program includes the purchase of 1,000 new specialized vehicles, as well as 110,000 field beds for setting up temporary accommodation and response centers.
Special emphasis will be placed on developing the infrastructure of the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), which will receive new buildings, equipment, technology, and additional staff.
Additionally, within the structure of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, there are plans to create a new headquarters unit—the Civil Defense Command—which will coordinate the interaction of civil services with the Bundeswehr in the event of a defense emergency.
In order to respond to scenarios involving mass casualties, federal rapid-response medical units are planned to be established at 50 locations across the country to assist large numbers of victims.
One of the most notable elements of the program will be an inventory of existing public bomb shelters throughout Germany—the registry will include bunkers, tunnels, and underground parking garages that can be used as protective structures.
This information will be integrated into the NINA alert app, which will be able to show users the shortest route to the nearest available shelter based on their location.
According to Dobrindt, Germany’s military and civil defense must work much more closely together, and the protection system itself must be adapted to modern threats, including hybrid attacks.
“Against the backdrop of the deteriorating security situation in Europe, Germany has been accelerating the reassessment of its own defense readiness in recent years, including not only the rearmament of the Bundeswehr but also the preparation of civilian infrastructure for crisis scenarios,” emphasized the German Federal Minister of the Interior.
As a reminder, Germany recently began strengthening its military medical capabilities—heavily armored Boxer vehicles are undergoing extensive upgrades.
