Germany Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Military === {{Main|Bundeswehr}} [[File:Spürpanzer Fuchs.jpg|thumb|A German [[TPz Fuchs]] armoured personnel carrier]] Germany's military, the {{lang|de|Bundeswehr}} (Federal Defence), is organised into the {{lang|de|[[German Army|Heer]]}} (Army and special forces [[Kommando Spezialkräfte|{{abbr|KSK|Kommando Spezialkräfte}}]]), {{lang|de|[[German Navy|Marine]]}} (Navy), {{lang|de|[[German Air Force|Luftwaffe]]}} (Air Force), {{lang|de|[[Joint Medical Service (Germany)|Zentraler Sanitätsdienst der Bundeswehr]]}} (Joint Medical Service), {{lang|de|[[Streitkräftebasis]]}} (Joint Support Service) and {{lang|de|[[Cyber and Information Domain Service|Cyber- und Informationsraum]]}} (Cyber and Information Domain Service) branches. In absolute terms, German military expenditure is the [[List of countries by military expenditures|eighth-highest in the world]].<ref>{{cite periodical |url=https://www.sipri.org/publications/2019/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-world-military-expenditure-2018|title=Trends in World Military Expenditure |date=April 2019|periodical=SIPRI Fact Sheet|publisher=Stockholm International Peace Research Institute|accessdate=9 March 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200308193539/https://www.sipri.org/publications/2019/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-world-military-expenditure-2018|archivedate=8 March 2020|url-status=live|last1=Tian|first1=Nan|last2=Fleurant|first2=Aude|last3=Kuimova|first3=Alexandra|last4=Wezeman|first4=Pieter D.|last5=Wezeman|first5=Siemon T.}}</ref> In 2018, military spending was at $49.5 billion, about 1.2% of the country's GDP, well below the NATO target of 2%.<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 June 2020|title=White House considers withdrawing 9,500 US soldiers from Germany|url=https://internationalinsider.org/white-house-considers-withdrawing-9500-us-soldiers-from-germany/|website=International Insider|accessdate=6 March 2021|archivedate=3 March 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303054648/https://internationalinsider.org/white-house-considers-withdrawing-9500-us-soldiers-from-germany/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.janes.com/article/52745/germany-to-increase-defence-spending |title=Germany to increase defence spending |website=IHS Jane's 360 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705180905/http://www.janes.com/article/52745/germany-to-increase-defence-spending |archivedate=5 July 2015 |accessdate=20 January 2016}}</ref> However, in response to the 2022 [[Russo-Ukrainian War|Russian invasion of Ukraine]], Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that German military expenditure would be increased past the NATO target of 2%, along with a one-time 2022 infusion of 100 billion euros, representing almost double the 53 billion euro military budget for 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Germany commits €100 billion to defense spending |date=27 February 2022 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/germany-commits-100-billion-to-defense-spending/a-60933724 |website=Deutsche Welle |archive-date=27 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227113954/https://www.dw.com/en/germany-commits-100-billion-to-defense-spending/a-60933724 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Schuetze |first=Christopher F. |date=27 February 2022 |title=Russia's invasion prompts Germany to beef up military funding |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/27/world/europe/germany-military-budget-russia-ukraine.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227133236/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/27/world/europe/germany-military-budget-russia-ukraine.html |archivedate=27 February 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> {{as of|2020|01}}, the {{lang|de|Bundeswehr}} has a strength of 184,001 active soldiers and 80,947 civilians.<ref name="bundeswehr">{{cite web|url=https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/ueber-die-bundeswehr/zahlen-daten-fakten/personalzahlen-bundeswehr|title=Aktuelle Personalzahlen der Bundeswehr|trans-title=Current personnel numbers of the Federal Defence|publisher=Bundeswehr|language=de|accessdate=2 March 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301201451/https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/ueber-die-bundeswehr/zahlen-daten-fakten/personalzahlen-bundeswehr|archivedate=1 March 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Reservists are available to the armed forces and participate in defence exercises and deployments abroad.<ref name="bwzukunft">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bundeswehr.de/portal/a/bwde/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP3I5EyrpHK9pPKUVL3ikqLUzJLsosTUtJJUvbzU0vTU4pLEnJLSvHRUuYKcxDygoH5BtqMiAMTJdF8!/ |title=Ausblick: Die Bundeswehr der Zukunft |publisher=[[Bundeswehr]] |language=German |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604001134/http://www.bundeswehr.de/portal/a/bwde/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP3I5EyrpHK9pPKUVL3ikqLUzJLsosTUtJJUvbzU0vTU4pLEnJLSvHRUuYKcxDygoH5BtqMiAMTJdF8!/ |archivedate=4 June 2011 |accessdate=5 June 2011}}</ref> Until 2011, [[Conscription in Germany|military service was compulsory]] for men at age 18, but this has been officially suspended and replaced with a voluntary service.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/22/germany-abolish-compulsory-military-service |title=Germany to abolish compulsory military service |last=Connolly, Kate |date=22 November 2010 |work=The Guardian |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130917223043/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/22/germany-abolish-compulsory-military-service |archivedate=17 September 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/16/conscription-germany-army |title=Marching orders for conscription in Germany, but what will take its place? |last=Pidd, Helen |date=16 March 2011 |work=The Guardian |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922000942/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/16/conscription-germany-army |archivedate=22 September 2013 }}</ref> Since 2001 women may serve in all functions of service without restriction.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bundeswehr.de/portal/a/bwde/!ut/p/c4/FcwxEoUgDAXAE0l6O0_x1YZ5QMSMEp2In-urs_3STC_FXzKqHIqdRpqi9KG50BK7qxpL3Qy8VHbZbk07MqtbDDerF_WJzYdGv286DbmAJj26iLgynaUMD6qutPs!/ |title=Frauen in der Bundeswehr |publisher=[[Bundeswehr]] |language=German |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429090325/http://www.bundeswehr.de/portal/a/bwde/!ut/p/c4/FcwxEoUgDAXAE0l6O0_x1YZ5QMSMEp2In-urs_3STC_FXzKqHIqdRpqi9KG50BK7qxpL3Qy8VHbZbk07MqtbDDerF_WJzYdGv286DbmAJj26iLgynaUMD6qutPs!/ |archivedate=29 April 2011 |accessdate=14 April 2011}}</ref> According to the [[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]], Germany was the fourth-largest exporter of major arms in the world from 2014 to 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sipri.org/publications/2019/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-international-arms-transfers-2018|title=Trends in International Arms Transfers|date=March 2019|publisher=Stockholm International Peace Research Institute|accessdate=9 March 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200312211821/https://www.sipri.org/publications/2019/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-international-arms-transfers-2018|archivedate=12 March 2020|url-status=live|last1=Wezeman|first1=Pieter D.|last2=Fleurant|first2=Aude|last3=Kuimova|first3=Alexandra|last4=Tian|first4=Nan|last5=Wezeman|first5=Siemon T.}}</ref> In peacetime, the {{lang|de|Bundeswehr}} is commanded by the Minister of Defence. In [[State of Defence (Germany)|state of defence]], the Chancellor would become commander-in-chief of the {{lang|de|Bundeswehr}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bundesrecht/gg/gesamt.pdf |title=Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Artikel 65a,87,115b |publisher=Bundesministerium der Justiz |language=German |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528210503/http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bundesrecht/gg/gesamt.pdf |archivedate=28 May 2017 |accessdate=19 March 2011 }}</ref> The role of the {{lang|de|Bundeswehr}} is described in the [[Constitution of Germany]] as defensive only. But after a ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court in 1994, the term "defence" has been defined not only to include protection of the borders of Germany, but also crisis reaction and conflict prevention, or more broadly as guarding the [[security]] of Germany anywhere in the world. {{As of|2017|post=,}} the German military has about 3,600 troops stationed in foreign countries as part of international peacekeeping forces, including about 1,200 supporting operations against [[Daesh]], 980 in the NATO-led [[Resolute Support Mission]] in Afghanistan, and 800 in [[Kosovo]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bundeswehr.de/portal/a/bwde/start/einsaetze/ueberblick/zahlen/!ut/p/z1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfIjo8zinSx8QnyMLI2MXIKDnQ0cQ13NQl2DHY0NzMz0wwkpiAJKG-AAjgb6wSmp-pFAM8xxmuELVKQfpR-VlViWWKFXkF9UkpNaopeYDHKhfmRGYl5KTmpAfrIjRKAgN6LcoNxREQC-OoUy/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/#Z7_B8LTL2922DSSC0AUE6UESA30M0 |title=Einsatzzahlen – die Stärke der deutschen Kontingente |date=18 August 2017 |publisher=[[Bundeswehr]] |language=German |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823022636/https://www.bundeswehr.de/portal/a/bwde/start/einsaetze/ueberblick/zahlen/!ut/p/z1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfIjo8zinSx8QnyMLI2MXIKDnQ0cQ13NQl2DHY0NzMz0wwkpiAJKG-AAjgb6wSmp-pFAM8xxmuELVKQfpR-VlViWWKFXkF9UkpNaopeYDHKhfmRGYl5KTmpAfrIjRKAgN6LcoNxREQC-OoUy/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/#Z7_B8LTL2922DSSC0AUE6UESA30M0 |archivedate=23 August 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=1 June 2020|title=Germany extends unified armed forces mission in Mali|url=https://internationalinsider.org/germany-extends-unified-armed-forces-mission-in-mali/|website=International Insider|accessdate=6 March 2021|archivedate=26 February 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226221509/https://internationalinsider.org/germany-extends-unified-armed-forces-mission-in-mali/|url-status=live}}</ref> {{Clear}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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