Knowledge in Leipzig: debate about Germany's upgrading and military power

Knowledge in Leipzig: debate about Germany's upgrading and military power

On Monday, May 16, 2025, the pub discussion under the title "Germany armed up" will take place at the Hotel Seeblick in Leipzig at 6 p.m. This event is part of the "Knowledge in Leipzig" series and addresses the current discussion about the war in Ukraine and the defense capacity of the Bundeswehr. In this discussion round, which is free of charge for interested parties and can be visited without registration, Michael Gutzeit, head of information work at the Center for Military History and Social Sciences of the Bundeswehr, and Arslan Deichsel from the Federal Ministry of Defense will take part as an interlocutor.

The event aims to link scientific knowledge with current developments and to enable a moderated exchange between research and citizens. There are questions in the room that deal with the restoration of the Bundeswehr's operational capacity, the teachings from the Ukraine War and the digital warfare. In addition, it is discussed what effects the debate about the willingness of defense on society in Germany and what role modern techniques can play.

discussion about German armaments

In the context of the discussion about Germany's armor ability, a current report by NDR and WDR contains sobering insights into German weapons systems that are used in Ukraine. Internal Bundeswehr documents show mixed results in the assessment of eight German weapons systems. For example, the tank shaft in 2000 is criticized for its technical susceptibility and in question in question, while the Leopard 1A5 is used as reliable, but often only as a makeshift artillery because of its weak armor. The Leopard 2A6 has high maintenance requirements that cannot always be met in use.

Iris-T is rated as effective, but with high costs and insufficient ammunition; The patriot, on the other hand, is generally excellent, but has been classified as unsuitable due to the outdated carrier vehicle and the lack of spare parts. The deputy military attaché of the German Embassy in Kiev emphasized in a lecture that hardly a German large device is fully war -friendly and the need to repair is given on site. Ukraine has difficulties using western systems, since improvisation is often required.

challenges of the Bundeswehr

The discussion about the Bundeswehr and its armaments not only has technical implications. Questions about future procurement and the integration of the experiences gained into the Bundeswehr are up -to -date and relevant. One focus is on the challenges that exist in the repair and the procurement of spare parts. These are accompanied by bureaucratic hurdles that could endanger the troop's readiness.

The next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) in Brussels is already planned to exchange ideas about weapons systems and their suitable formats in the war. As part of these developments and the burgeoning questions, the pub discussion on May 16 will give an important impetus to promote the necessary discussions in society.

The topic is particularly relevant in view of the developing situation in Ukraine and the challenges in front of which the Bundeswehr faces in order to be efficient and contemporary for future conflicts. Participants such as Michael Gutzeit and Arslan Deichsel will help to throw light on these decisive aspects of defense and security policy.