Germany on a war footing? New Defense Readiness Reports!

Germany on a war footing? New Defense Readiness Reports!

Over the past two years, the Bundeswehr Command Academy in Hamburg has worked intensively on combat testing and war readiness in Germany. On July 2, 2025, the experts presented their findings to the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, Carsten Breuer. Loud NDR The scenarios that were analyzed include threatening developments such as a possible attack on the Baltics and cyber attacks on the energy supply in Germany.

Breuer highlighted the need for “total defense,” a concept that has been pushed into the background since the end of the Cold War. He emphasizes that it is important for every citizen to think about their own care in an emergency in order to increase the resilience of the population. A proposal to improve the exchange of information between civilian and military actors is intended to help make defense structures more effective.

Growing threats and hybrid warfare strategies

The threat situation has worsened due to increasing hybrid attacks, which include not only military, but also cyber, economic and political dimensions. NATO countries are increasingly the target of such attacks, which are characterized, among other things, by interrupted underwater cables and targeted cyber attacks on critical infrastructure. The daily news According to this, discussions will take place in Brussels on December 4, 2024 about what defense strategies are necessary against these threats.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has stressed the need to increase intelligence sharing and better protect critical infrastructure. These developments are particularly important as experts point out that the intensity and frequency of these hybrid attacks have increased in recent years. Rumors are circulating about possible sabotage by states such as Russia, China or Iran, such as in the case of the damaged fiber optic cables in the Baltic Sea, which are being investigated by Swedish authorities.

Germany in the crosshairs

Due to its role as a leading economic nation and member of the EU and NATO, Germany is a preferred target for hybrid threats. How Bundeswehr News reported, cyber attacks on ministries and companies as well as foreign attempts to influence elections are no longer uncommon. These new threats are often difficult to trace and access, complicating policy response.

A central component of the national security strategy is the protection of critical infrastructure such as electricity and water supplies, telecommunications and healthcare. Government agencies cooperate with private actors to close security gaps and establish early warning systems for cyberattacks. The challenges are complex and require broad social cooperation in order to actively strengthen the trust of the population and create a safe framework.

In a world full of uncertainty, we should all be aware of the risks and learn how to best prepare ourselves in an emergency. Inspector General Breuer's call for self-sufficiency could be the first step toward a resilient future in which we can successfully confront future threats.