Germany aims to make the Bundeswehr Europe’s strongest conventional army, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced in May.
The government must fill personnel shortages and equip troops with modern weaponry quickly.
Berlin plans €83 billion in defense procurements, prioritizing European manufacturers while limiting US purchases to eight percent.
Officials intend to complete 154 major projects between September 2025 and December 2026.
Europe tripled arms imports from the US between 2020 and 2024. Germany’s imports rose 334 percent, mostly from the United States.
Berlin now emphasizes “Buy European” to reduce dependency on US systems and strengthen domestic arms production.
US Dependence and the “Kill Switch” Debate
Josef Braml said Germany previously paid “tribute” by buying US weapons that created dependency.
Patriot missile systems remain restricted, as the US reserves them for its own military use.
Europe lacks alternatives for advanced weapons, including the F-35 fighter jet.
Former French intelligence chief Christophe Gomart suggested the US could install a “kill switch” in F-35 jets.
German authorities deny this, but maintain orders because no European fifth-generation fighter exists.
Braml warns that relying on US defense technology limits European sovereignty and exposes countries to blackmail.
Europe Faces a Multipolar Security Era
NATO countries are boosting local arms industries to reduce US dependency, Sipri researcher Pieter Wezeman said.
Trump’s “America First” policies pressured Europe to buy US weapons and increase defense spending to five percent of GDP.
Merz acknowledged Germany will remain partially dependent on the US for the foreseeable future.
Patent data shows US companies dominate defense innovation, filing nearly 18,000 patents versus fewer than 12,000 for all EU nations combined.
Braml concludes Europe must assume full responsibility for its security; “Pax Americana is dead,” he said.
Germany must build independent defense capabilities quickly to secure its future in a multipolar world.
