Bundeswehr Prepares for Permanent Presence in Eastern NATO Territory
As Russia's aggressive actions continue in Ukraine, the German military, known as Bundeswehr, is taking steps to bolster its presence in Eastern Europe. Before the government deploys a combat brigade to Lithuania in 2025, Defense Minister Pistorius is sending a preliminary command group to NATO's eastern frontier. The Defense Ministers of both Germany and Lithuania are set to meet to discuss the deployment details.
The Bundeswehr's plan for Lithuania involves creating a combat brigade intended for deterrence and defense. According to reports, a preliminary unit will be sent to Lithuanian territory in the second quarter of 2023. By the end of the year, they expect to have deployed the core leadership of the new brigade, headed by the Brigade Commander.
Deterrence and Defense
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will be meeting with his Lithuanian counterpart Arvydas Anusauskas in Vilnius on Monday to sign a roadmap for the deployment. By supporting Lithuania's security needs, Germany aims to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Together, both nations will aim to establish the necessary conditions for the operation of a battle-ready brigade.
Set to be deployed in Lithuania is a permanent force of around 5,000 soldiers and civilian personnel, including 4,800 troops, and 200 civilian employees. The two combat troop battalions from Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia will serve as the backbone of this new force. A third battalion will be the NATO multinational battle group, currently under German command in Lithuania, with rotating personnel.
Necessary Support
For Lithuania, this deployment is a symbol of support and solidarity. The nation only have 15,000 soldiers, with 3,500 being conscripts, and the additional 5,000 soldiers from Germany provides substantial support. By 2030, Lithuania seeks to boost its troop numbers to 17,000-18,000 soldiers.
The roadmap will outline the infrastructure development plans and deployment timeline for the troops. Further, detailed technical agreements will be drafted for each facility in Lithuania in the coming months. Germany plays a crucial role in the rearmament and modernization of the Lithuanian army, with German weapons systems in use and several Lithuanian officers trained at Bundeswehr universities.
Better Prepared for Battle
Concurrently, Lithuania is repairing Leopard 2 tanks provided by Germany to Ukraine that suffered combat damage. The repaired tanks, once ready, will join the fight shortly, demonstrating Lithuania's commitment to supporting Ukraine.
The Leopard 2 tanks were repaired at a maintenance center in Lithuania, set up by defending companies Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall. Given that Leopard 2 equipment is scarce, this Lithuanian facility is critical for repairing equipment.
The maintenance facility is designed primarily for Leopard 2A5 and 2A6 variations, with the ability to serve as one of the few hubs for this particular model in Europe. Although Poland handles other Leopard 2A4 variants, most work is done at the Lithuanian repair facility.
Repairing what's broken
As Defence Minister Anusauskas and Sebastian Dietz, Head of Lithuania Defense Services (LDS), explained, the war-damaged tanks face challenges from drone attacks, direct hits, and mines. In some instances, there's unseen combat damage on both vehicles and turrets.
After much contemplation, Germany handed over Leopard 2 A6 tanks to Ukraine in March 2023. Other NATO countries, such as the United Kingdom, also pledged to send armor to Ukraine in its ongoing defense against Russian aggression.
