Bundeswehr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Federal Defence Forces of GermanyBundeswehr |
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|---|---|
 Insignia of the Bundeswehr |
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| Established | November 12, 1955 |
| Current form | October 2, 1990 |
| Parts | Heer (Army) Marine (Navy) Luftwaffe (Air Force) Streitkräftebasis (Joint Support Service) Zentraler Sanitätsdienst (Central Medical Services) |
| Headquarters | Bonn, Berlin and Potsdam |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière after declaration of state of defence: Chancellor Angela Merkel |
| Minister of Defense | Thomas de Maizière |
| Chief of staff | General Volker Wieker (Heer) |
| Serving soldiers | |
| Military age | 17 |
| Conscription | No (Suspended on 1 July 2011) |
| Available to be a soldier |
19,594,118 (2009 est.), age 17–49 |
| Fit to be a soldier |
15,747,493 (2009 est.), age 17–49 |
| Reaching military age annually |
445,048 (2009 est.) |
| Active employees/soldiers | 207,247 active |
| Reserve personnel | 200,000 reserves |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | € 31.1 billion (FY09) |
| Percent of GDP | 1.5% (FY09) |
| Industry | |
| Suppliers from inland | EADS Heckler & Koch Rheinmetall Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft Walther arms ThyssenKrupp |
| Suppliers from foreign countries |
 European Union United States |
| Annual imports | Volume of about $1 bln (2009 est.) |
| Annual exports | Volume of about $9 bln (2009 est.) |
The Bundeswehr (German for "Federal Defence Force"; ) are the German Armed Forces. The German armed forces are for the unified Germany itself and do not have several parts for the States of Germany.
There are five sections: three bigger ones: Heer (Army), Marine (Navy) and Luftwaffe (Air Force) form one unified force, not three separate fighting forces. And two smaller ones: Joint Support Service (Streitkräftebasis) and Central Medical Services (Zentraler Sanitätsdienst).
In peace-time the commander-in-chief is the Federal Minister of Defence, and in wartime the Chancellor of Germany. This is unlike most countries where the head of state is commander in chief.
In March 2012, there were about 207,000 soldiers serving in the Bundeswehr; there are another 200,000 in reserve. Conscription for the Bundeswehr has been abolished in July 2011.
Related pages
Images for kids
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A Großer Zapfenstreich at the Federal Ministry of Defense in Bonn in 2002
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Generals Adolf Heusinger and Hans Speidel being sworn into the newly founded Bundeswehr by Theodor Blank on 12 November 1955
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The Federal Republic of Germany joined NATO in 1955.
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Leopard 2 tanks
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The Bundeswehr was the first NATO member to use the Soviet-built MiG 29 jet, taken over from the former East German Air Force after reunification.
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Christine Lambrecht, Minister of Defence
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A German Navy Sachsen-class frigate
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German Army soldiers in Afghanistan in front of Dingo infantry mobility vehicles, 2009
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Frigate Karlsruhe of the German Navy rescuing shipwrecked people off the coast of Somalia where it is patrolling
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German Army signallers in service uniforms
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A German infantryman stands at the ready with his Heckler & Koch G36 during a practice exercise in 2004 as U.S. troops watch in the background. All rifles in the photo are equipped with blank firing adapters.
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NH90 helicopter
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Boxer MRAV
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See also
In Spanish: Bundeswehr para niños
