Germany will develop the strongest conventional army in Europe, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced in May.
The government must reduce personnel shortages and rapidly equip troops with modern weapons.
Politico reports Berlin will spend up to €83 billion on defense, directing most contracts to European companies.
Germany plans 154 major procurements from September 2025 to December 2026, with only eight percent purchased from the United States.
Sipri data shows European imports from the US tripled between 2020 and 2024, with Germany increasing purchases by 334 percent.
Berlin now emphasizes “Buy European” to reduce reliance on Washington and strengthen domestic defense industries.
Dependence on US Weapons Raises Concerns
US expert Josef Braml says Germany bought American arms as “tribute” for security the US no longer guarantees.
The Patriot air defense system illustrates the risk: the Pentagon limited exports to reserve supplies for America.
Europe lacks domestic alternatives for advanced systems, such as the F-35 stealth fighter.
Christophe Gomart suggested a “kill switch” could control F-35 jets, though German officials deny this feature exists.
Germany continues its F-35 order because no European fifth-generation fighter exists, and the jets’ stealth remains unmatched.
Europe Seeks Strategic Sovereignty
Sipri researcher Pieter Wezeman notes NATO countries are reducing imports and strengthening local arms production.
Trump’s “America First” policy pressured European allies to spend more and buy US weapons.
Germany’s Merz admitted the country will remain dependent on the US for the foreseeable future.
Braml warns Europe must protect itself to avoid blackmail and ensure sovereignty in defense matters.
Patent data shows Washington leads in defense technology, filing 18,000 patents between 2015-2021, while all EU states filed fewer than 12,000.
Braml concludes: “Security is gone, Pax Americana is dead.” Germany must now take full responsibility for its own defense.
