Germany wants the most powerful conventional military in Europe. By 2039. That is not a think-tank fantasy — it is now official government policy, backed by legislation, funded by billions, and documented in the most comprehensive overhaul of Bundeswehr planning in decades. On April 22, Berlin released a package of foundational strategic documents: Germany’s first standalone military strategy, a new capability profile, a personnel growth plan, and a redesigned reserve strategy. The military strategy is titled “Verantwortung für Europa” — Responsibility for Europe. The title alone signals a tectonic shift. For eighty years, Germany deliberately constrained its military ambitions. That era is over.

Three Phases to Dominance

The plan unfolds in three phases. Phase one, running through 2029, focuses on rapid personnel growth and closing the most critical capability gaps — ammunition stocks, air defence, and deployable combat brigades. Phase two, through 2035, emphasises advanced capabilities: deep precision strike, hypersonic missile defence, and integrated drone warfare. Phase three, extending to 2039 and beyond, is the technology-driven maturation stage — autonomous systems, AI-enabled command networks, and next-generation platforms. The personnel numbers alone are staggering. Germany plans to grow its active-duty force from 185,420 to 260,000 — a 40 percent increase. Simultaneously, the reserve force will expand from roughly 60,000 assigned reservists to at least 200,000. The combined total of 460,000 combat-ready troops would make the Bundeswehr the largest conventional force in Western Europe, surpassing France and the United Kingdom.

Starting From Scratch on Long-Range Strike

Perhaps the most revealing element is Germany’s admission that it is starting essentially from scratch on deep precision strike capability. The Bundeswehr currently has no long-range land-attack missiles, no conventional cruise missile inventory, and limited ability to hit targets beyond the battlefield. The strategy identifies this as a top priority. Germany will need to acquire or develop weapons capable of striking targets hundreds of kilometres behind enemy lines — the same class of weapons that Ukraine has used to devastating effect against Russian logistics, airfields, and command centres. Whether Berlin opts for Taurus KEPD 350 upgrades, the European FCAS weapons package, or American Tomahawks remains to be decided. Air defence is equally urgent. The strategy calls for the ability to counter hypersonic missiles — a capability that currently exists only in prototype form anywhere in the world. Germany’s IRIS-T and Patriot batteries provide solid medium-range defence, but the hypersonic threat demands entirely new interceptors and sensor architectures.

Conscription as a Fallback

Buried in the personnel plan is a provision that would have been unthinkable five years ago: conscription. New military service legislation, in force since January 2026, embeds conscription as a fallback mechanism. If voluntary recruitment fails to meet the 260,000 target, the government can activate mandatory service without new legislation. Germany suspended conscription in 2011. Reintroducing it — even as a contingency — reflects the depth of Berlin’s concern about the security environment. The Bundeswehr has struggled with recruitment for years, consistently falling short of its targets. Reaching 260,000 through volunteers alone would require a fundamental shift in German attitudes toward military service.

Why Now

The timing is driven by three converging pressures. Russia’s war in Ukraine demonstrated that conventional warfare in Europe is not a relic of the past. The Iran conflict exposed the fragility of Western ammunition and missile stocks. And growing uncertainty about U.S. commitment to NATO under the Trump administration has forced European capitals to think seriously about self-reliance. Germany’s €100 billion special defence fund, announced in 2022, was the first step. This strategy is the blueprint for how that money — and much more — will be spent. The goal is not merely to modernise the Bundeswehr but to build a military capable of leading European defence. The title says it all: Responsibility for Europe. Whether a country that has spent eight decades avoiding military leadership can transform itself into Europe’s strongest conventional power in thirteen years is the defining question of European security. Berlin just answered: it intends to try. Sources: Defense News, Aviation A2Z, Breitbart, Washington Examiner, BERNAMA