Last week, the German Navy published its vision for the Navy 2035+, the subheading of which is “Energetic entry into unmanned systems and artificial intelligence”. The need to deter Russian aggression requires German Navy to maintain a high level of combat readiness and presence in the North Atlantic as well as in the North and…
It can be called a special moment in both senses: Almost simultaneously with the integration of the Dutch 13th Light Brigade into the German 10th Armoured Division came the official interdepartmental approval by the government from Den Hague: The Netherlands as a Partner nation of the BSC 2023. With the ceremony on March 30, 2023,…
Last week, the current vice-president and designated new president of the German procurement agency BAAINBw, Annette Lehnigk-Emden, signed a framework agreement with KMW for the purchase of up to 28 PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers. In a first step, ten howitzers will be procured to replace the 14 guns that went to Ukraine. According to BAAINBw,…
On its 74th birthday, NATO welcomes a new member to its ranks. Whereas the founding meeting in 1949 was held in Washington, the decision-makers are now meeting in Brussels to mark this historic event. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg sees no “better way” to celebrate NATO’s anniversary than by welcoming a new member into the defense…
The NATO Secretary General’s Annual Report for 2022 was released on March 21st, providing an overview of the alliance’s achievements and challenges over the past year. The report highlights NATO’s continued efforts to strengthen its collective defence capabilities, enhance its partnerships with other countries and international organizations, and adapt to new security challenges. One of…
Civilian employees in Bundeswehr take significantly more sick leave than soldiers. According to Siemtje Möller, Parliamentary State Secretary, German Ministry of Defence, the average absent time due to illness among civilian employees in 2021 was 19.8 days, while soldiers were on sick leave for 5.5 days in the same year. This picture emerged in the…
We live in times where new opportunity windows are open even for individual persons. In no other era in history one was able to bring individual knowledge to the benefit for mankind in a way we experience today. One example is Ireland’s first satellite programme that is about to be launched. It was developed by…
Since the Berlin Security Conference (BSC) is a major European and transatlantic event, Behörden Spiegel decided to invite prominent personalities from EU, NATO and selected nations to support the congress. These Board Members give advice to the organizer, e.g., with regard to the subject of the programme and national / international speakers. Their portraits on…
Bundeswehr has a few systems left for air defence. For example only two MANTIS, a system for close-range protection, were procured in recent years. But nowadays air defence with more or less stationary systems gains importance, not only for Bundeswehr. MANTIS can cover a 360-degree radius of three kilometres and thus protect not only field…
NATO collects defense expenditure data from Allies and publishes it on a regular basis. The definitions set by NATO may differ from those by member states and the media. Each Ally’s Ministry of Defense reports current and estimated future defense expenditure according to an agreed definition. The amounts represent payments by a national government…