Germany will need 35,000 more troops to meet new NATO defense requirements, - Bundestag official Faber
The chairman of the German parliament's defence committee, Markus Faber, said that the Bundeswehr would need up to 35,000 additional soldiers to meet NATO's new defence requirements for the bloc's member states.
This is reported by RND, Censor.NET informs.
NATO's current plans provide for an increase in the number of combat-ready brigades from 82 to 131 due to threats from Russia. That is, the Alliance intends to create 49 new large units, each with about 5,000 troops.
"If we assume that the number of combat brigades in the Alliance will increase from 82 to 131 and that Germany will participate proportionally, the army will need five divisions instead of the current three divisions of 65,000 soldiers," Faber said.
Thus, according to the official, the number of all divisions will be approximately 100,000 Bundeswehr soldiers - 35,000 more than currently envisaged.
At the same time, he noted that the creation of these divisions "will take about ten years".
Faeber also added that defence spending is likely to increase.
"NATO's requirements for all 32 member states will increase, and therefore for Germany as well. Therefore, spending 2% of annual economic output on defence will no longer be enough. It should be 3%," the Bundestag official said.
Earlier it was reported that NATO intends to create 49 new large units, which will have about 5,000 troops each, due to a possible threat from Russia.
