Germany will contribute at least €150 million toward the purchase of US-made military equipment for Ukraine, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said during a meeting of the “Group of Five” European defence ministers in Berlin under NATO’s PURL scheme.
Germany’s coalition government has agreed on a new military service model that begins as a voluntary programme but allows parliament to introduce conscription if recruitment falls short.
Belgium has inaugurated a new large-calibre artillery shell production unit at KNDS Belgium’s facility in Petit-Roeulx-lez-Nivelles on Tuesday, expanding national and European munitions manufacturing capacity amid rising demand for defence production.
Rheinmetall has signed a €1 billion deal with Bulgaria to establish a joint gunpowder and ammunition factory near Sopot, aiming to produce 100,000 NATO-standard artillery shells annually. The German company holds 51% of the shares in the new project.
Germany will deploy Eurofighter jets to Poland’s Malbork Air Base as part of NATO’s new Eastern Sentry mission to strengthen air patrols along the alliance’s eastern flank. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said the deployment will enhance NATO’s visibility and readiness amid repeated Russian airspace and drone incursions affecting Poland, Estonia, Denmark, and Romania.
Germany has ordered 20 new Eurofighter aircraft from Airbus to strengthen its Air Force capabilities. The fighters will feature upgraded radar and electronic warfare systems and will be delivered between 2031 and 2034 as part of Europe’s joint defence programme. The new aircraft will serve as a technological bridge to the Future Combat Air System, which is expected to enter service from 2040.
Leonardo and KNDS have entered into an agreement to offer the CAESAR Self-Propelled Howitzer to the U.S. Army. Leonardo DRS will act as prime contractor and KNDS as system designer and manufacturer, with the system proposed for integration on U.S. tactical vehicles.
Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt warned of legal challenges to a bill expanding the Bundeswehr’s role in domestic drone defence after a surge in suspected Russian drone sightings. The plan would strengthen police capabilities and create a joint defence centre, but faces constitutional concerns over military involvement in internal security.
Germany’s intelligence chief Martin Jäger warned that the country is already “under fire” from Russia and must prepare for further escalation. Speaking to lawmakers, he said Moscow seeks to destabilize NATO and intimidate Europe amid rising tensions, airspace violations, and drone incidents over German infrastructure.
Germany plans to order over 600 Skyranger air defence systems from Rheinmetall in a deal worth more than €9 billion to strengthen its drone defence. The mobile system, now in testing, can be mounted on Boxer and Leopard 1 vehicles and is designed to counter modern aerial threats, including drone swarms.
The German cabinet approved a bill for setting up a National Security Council and introducing voluntary military service, which could turn into conscription in the absence of sufficient volunteers, of which an initial 15,000 are required with a target of 80,000, whom the government plans to entice with high salaries.
150 German soldiers with five Eurofighter jets began their deployment at the Minsk Mazowiecki military airfield in Poland to monitor its airspace for a few weeks upon its request, while, so far, having performed the same role from Rostock, in north-eastern Germany.
Germany’s defence ministry said it is ready to deliver two promised Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine from its inventory of nine systems, with plans to replace them with new orders from the U.S.
Turkey signed separate agreements at the International Defence Industry Fair in Istanbul last week, with plans to purchase 40 Eurofighter aircraft from the United Kingdom and sell 48 of its indigenous Kaan fighter aircraft to Indonesia.
The treaty underscores the countries’ mutual defence obligations as NATO allies, which is made especially significant given the UK’s status as a nuclear power. The goal is to boost European deterrence and defence over the next decade. The two sides plan to jointly develop a European-made long-range weapons system capable of striking targets up to 2,000 kilometres away, addressing a capability gap with Russian medium-range missiles.
