German Bundeswehr reaches 2026 personnel target early

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that the Bundeswehr has reached its personnel target for 2026 ahead of schedule. The military now counts approximately 192,000 soldiers, a level of strength not seen since the era of compulsory military service.

Due to this growth, Pistorius stated that reactivating compulsory military service is not currently under debate. He noted that the increase serves as an important signal to NATO as Germany faces pressure to strengthen its defense capabilities.

The military aims to expand further to a total of 460,000 personnel, including reservists, by 2035. Achieving this goal will require adding approximately 268,000 more members to the force.