German Army

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German Army

Command Heeresführungskommando Inspekteur des Heeres Components German Army Aviators Corps Specialized Commands Kommando Spezialkräfte Airmobile Operations Division Personnel German Army rank insignia History and Traditions Reichswehr Wehrmacht National People's Army Awards, Decorations and Badges Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

The German Army (German: Heer, [IPA: heɐ] listen (help·info)) is the land component of the Bundeswehr ("Federal Defence Forces") of the Federal Republic of Germany. Traditionally, the German military forces have been composed of the Army, the Navy, and after the First World War, the Air Force. The Heer was re-formed in the 1950s as the West German Army as part of the Bundeswehr. In October 1990, upon the reunification of Germany, the East German army, the National People's Army (NVA), was integrated into the now unified force.

The German word Heer means simply "army". The term is not restricted to any particular country, so "das Britische Heer" would mean "the British army".

Contents 1 History 1.1 Overview 1.2 Pre-1914 1.3 World War I 1914–1918 1.4 Reichswehr 1918–1935 1.5 Wehrmacht 1935–1945 2 Current Army 2.1 Structure 2.1.1 German Army Command 2.1.2 German Army Office (Heeresamt) 2.2 Corps 2.2.1 Signal Corps 2.2.2 Army Reconnaissance Corps 2.2.3 Armoured Corps 2.2.4 Infantry 2.2.5 Special Forces 2.2.6 Artillery Corps 2.2.7 Army Air Defence Corps 2.2.8 Army Aviators Corps 2.2.9 Engineer Corps 2.2.10 NBC Corps 2.2.11 Logistics Corps 3 Weapons 3.1 Light Weapons 3.2 Reconnaissance Systems 3.3 Combat vehicles 3.4 Artillery 3.5 Air Defence Systems 3.6 Engineer Equipment 3.7 Aircraft inventory 3.8 Logistic Equipment 3.9 Non-combat vehicles 4 Reference 5 See also 6 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Overview

Since Germany first became a modern unified state in 1871, previous names of German military forces have included:

• 1919–1935 Reichswehr ("Imperial Defence" and "Imperial Defence Forces") consisting of the Reichsheer (Army) and the Reichsmarine (Navy);
• 1935–1945 Wehrmacht ("Defence Forces") consisting of the Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), and Luftwaffe (Air Force);
• West Germany
  • 1955–October 1990 Bundeswehr ("Federal Defence Forces") (West Germany) consisting of the Heer, Bundesmarine (Federal Navy) and Luftwaffe;
• East Germany
  • 1956–October 1990 Nationale Volksarmee ("National People's Army"), consisting of the Landstreitkräfte (Land Forces), Grenztruppen der DDR (Border Troops of the GDR), Luftstreitkräfte / Luftverteidigung (Air Forces / Air Defence) and the Volksmarine (People's Navy).
• October 1990–present Bundeswehr: Deutsches Heer, Deutsche Marine and Deutsche Luftwaffe.

[edit] Pre-1914

Following the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo the Prussian Kingdom had years of military successes in the 19th and 20th centuries. Every able bodied man between the ages of 17 and 45 was liable for military service. There were 4 classes of service; Active (Aktiv), Reserve, Landwehr and Landsturm. The Landwehr and Landsturm were only called up at times of war. The basic unit of the army at this time was the Regiment. Regiments were typically raised and supported by a specific city or region. Each regiment was then stationed near its home city. The Reserve regiment was often made up of past members of the local regiment. The Landwehr and Landsturm units were also organized the same way. An individual could spend all 22 years of military service surrounded by their friends and family. This created close ties within regiments, however, because of this system, the entire population of young men from a city or region could be wiped out in one battle.

[edit] World War I 1914–1918

The German army that fought in World War I was not in fact a single, unitary army. The four German kingdoms that existed prior to the unification of Germany in January 1871, Bavaria, Prussia, Saxony and Württemberg, each retained their own army upon unification. Prussia had the largest army of the four. After the unification and the formation of the German Empire, the Prussian army became the nucleus of the Imperial German army (Kaiserliche Heer or Deutsches Reichsheer). By 1914 the German army fielded 50 active divisions and by 1918 over 250 divisions. The term "German army" did not come into being until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.

[edit] Reichswehr 1918–1935

Main article: Reichswehr

Following the end of World War I and the collapse of the German Empire most of the German army (Heer) was demobilized or simply dissolved. Many former soldiers drifted into small armed groups known as Freikorps. The Freikorps were generally groups of 100 men or fewer that protected a neighbourhood or town. On March 6th, 1919 an army known as the Vorläufige Reichswehr (Provisional German Defence Force) was formed with about 400,000 men, many drawn form the Freikorps. Then, in September 30, 1919 the Übergangsheer (Transitional Army) was created from the Defence Force and the Freikorps. Finally, on January 1, 1921 the 100,000 man Reichswehr was formed with 7 Infantry Divisions and 3 Cavalry Divisions. It was the Reichswehr who crushed Adolf Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch in Munich in November 1923.

[edit] Wehrmacht 1935–1945

Main article: Wehrmacht

Under the Treaty of Versailles, the Reichswehr was only allowed 100,000 men split between the Army and the Navy. In 1933 the Nazi party came to power and began to abrogate the treaty. The Army was made part of the Wehrmacht in May 1935 with the passing of the "Law for the Reconstruction of the National Defence Forces". The Wehrmacht included not just the Army and Navy but also a third branch known as the Luftwaffe. Initially, the Army was expanded to 21 divisional-sized units and smaller formations. Between 1935 and 1945 this force grew to consist of hundreds of divisions and thousands of smaller supporting units. Between 1939 and 1945 close to 16 million served in the Army. Over 1.6 million were killed and over 4.1 million were wounded. Of the 7361 men awarded the initial grade of the highest German combat honour of WWII, the Knight's Cross, 4777 were from the Army, making up 65% of the total awarded. The German Army was implicated in widespread war crimes including assisting in the genocide of European Jewry during the Holocaust. The Allies dissolved the German Army on 20 August 1946.

[edit] Current Army

Bundeswehr Teilstreitkräfte or TSK (Branches) Heer Luftwaffe Marine Organisationsbereiche (Organisation areas) Sanitätsdienst Streitkräftebasis

The Bundeswehr Heer was reformed in the 1950s as the Army of West Germany until 1990, and East and West Germany after. The army of East Germany was called the Landstreitkräfte, part of Nationale Volksarmee.

[edit] Structure

The German Army is commanded by the Chief of Army Staff (Inspekteur des Heeres) in the Federal Ministry of Defence in Berlin and Bonn. The major commands are the German Army Command in Koblenz and the German Army Office in Cologne.

[edit] German Army Command

The German Army Command in Koblenz (Heeresführungskommando) leads all combat units (three armoured/mechanized divisions, two special divisions and one independent brigade). It is commanded by a Lieutenant General.

• German Army Command
  • HQ Company

• Franco-German Brigade
  • HQ Company [mixed]
  • Light Armoured Regiment [F]
  • Light Infantry Battalion 292 (Jäger)
  • Infantry Regiment [F]
  • Artillery Battalion 295
  • Armoured Engineer Company 550
  • Support Battalion (mixed)

• 1st Armoured Division
  • HQ Company
  • Army Band 1
  • Artillery Regiment 100
    • Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion 131
    • Artillery Missile Battalion 132
  • Engineer Regiment 1
    • Heavy Engineer Battalion 130
    • Armoured Engineer Battalion 1
  • Air Defence Regiment 6
  • Signal Regiment 1
  • Reconnaissance Battalion 3
  • NBC Battalion 7
  • Logistics Battalion 3
  • Light NBC Company 610
  • Light Air Defence Battery 610

• • Mechanized Infantry Brigade 1 (will be disbanded on 12/31/07)
  • HQ Company
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion 421 (will be disbanded on 07/01/07)
    • Armoured Engineer Battalion 803 (to Mechanized Infantry Brigade 41 on 07/01/07)

• • Armoured Training Brigade 9
    • HQ Company
    • Armoured Battalion 33
    • Armoured Battalion 93
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion 92
    • Armoured Artillery Battalion 325
    • Armoured Reconnaissance Company 90
    • Armoured Engineer Company 90
    • Logistics Battalion 141

• • Armoured Brigade 21
    • HQ Company
    • Armoured Battalion 203
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion 212
    • Armoured Artillery Battalion 215
    • Armoured Reconnaissance Company 210
    • Armoured Engineer Company 200
    • Logistics Battalion 7

• 10th Armoured Division
  • HQ Company
  • Army Band 2

• • Mechanized Infantry Brigade 30 (will be disbanded 2008)
  • HQ Company
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion 294 (will be disbanded II. Quarter 2008)
    • Armoured Artillery Battalion 345 (will be disbanded)

• • Armoured Brigade 12
    • HQ Company
    • Armoured Battalion 104
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion 112
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion 122
    • Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion 8
    • Engineer Battalion 4
    • Signal Battalion 4
    • Logistics Battalion 4

• • Mountain Brigade 23
    • HQ Company
    • Mountain Infantry Battalion 231 (Gebirgsjäger)
    • Mountain Infantry Battalion 232 (Gebirgsjäger)
    • Mountain Infantry Battalion 233 (Gebirgsjäger)
    • Mountain Reconnaissance Battalion 230
    • Mountain Engineer Battalion 8
    • Mountain Signal Battalion 210
    • Mountain Logistic Battalion 8

• 13th Mechanized Infantry Division
  • HQ Company
  • Army Band 10
  • Reserve Engineer Bridge Battalion 270

• • Mechanized Infantry Brigade 37
    • HQ Company
    • Armoured Battalion 303
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion 371
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion 391
    • Mountain Infantry Battalion 571 (Gebirgsjäger, this battalion will be decommissioned on 30th of March, 2008.)
    • Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion 13
    • Armoured Engineer Battalion 701
    • Signal Battalion 701
    • Logistics Battalion 131

• • Mechanized Infantry Brigade 41
    • HQ Company
    • Armoured Battalion 413
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion 401
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion 411
    • Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion 6
    • Armoured Engineer Battalion 803
    • Signal Battalion 801
    • Logistics Battalion 142

• Special Operations Division
  • HQ Company
  • Army Band 300
  • Airborne Signal Battalion
  • Long Range Reconnaissance Company 200
  • Light Air Defence Battery 100

• • Special Forces Command

• • Airborne Brigade 26
    • HQ Company
    • Paratrooper Battalion 261
    • Paratrooper Battalion 263
    • Airborne Reconnaissance Company 260
    • Airborne Engineer Company 260
    • Airborne Support Battalion 262

• • Airborne Brigade 31
    • HQ Company
    • Paratrooper Battalion 313
    • Paratrooper Battalion 373
    • Airborne Reconnaissance Company 310
    • Airborne Engineer Company 270
    • Airborne Support Battalion 272

• Airmobile Operations Division
  • HQ Company
  • Army Band 12
  • Signal Battalion
  • Medium Aviation Regiment 15
  • Medium Aviation Regiment 25
  • Light Aviation Regiment 30

• • Air Assault Brigade 1
    • HQ Company
    • Light Infantry Regiment 1 (Jäger)
    • Attack Helicopter Regiment 26
    • Attack Helicopter Regiment 36
    • Light Aviation Regiment 10
    • Aviation Reconnaissance Squadron 100
    • Aviation Support Squadron 1
    • Aviation Mechanic Squadron 1

• • Army Support Brigade
    • HQ Company
    • Artillery Reconnaissance Regiment 345
    • NBC Regiment 750
    • Air Defence Battalion 12
    • Light Air Defence Battery 300
    • Light NBC Company 120

• Forces Headquarters (ex II. GE/US Corps)
  • HQ Company
  • Signal Battalion 200

• I. German/Dutch Corps
  • HQ Company (German shares)
  • Signal Battalion (German shares)
  • HQ Support Battalion (German shares)

• EuroCorps
  • HQ Company (German shares)
  • Corps Support Brigade
    • Signal Battalion (German shares)
    • HQ Support Battalion (German shares)

• Multinational Corps North-East
  • HQ Company (German shares)
  • Signal Battalion (German shares)

[edit] German Army Office (Heeresamt)

The German Army Office in Cologne is responsible for administration, education, training and logistic of the German Army. It is commanded by a general-lieutenant or a general-major.

Schools, training centres, and miscellaneous offices:

• Airborne Operations and Air Transport School (Luftlande- und Lufttransportschule) in Altenstadt (Schongau)
• Armoured Corps School (Panzertruppenschule) in Munster, Lower Saxony
• Army Air Defence School (Heeresflugabwehrschule) in Rendsburg
• Army Aviatiors School (Heeresfliegerwaffenschule) in Bückeburg
• Army Combat Simulation Centre (Gefechtssimulationszentrum des Heeres) in Wildflecken
• Army Combat Training Centre (Gefechtsübungszentrum des Heeres) in Letzlingen
• Army Human Resources Office (Stammdienststelle des Heeres) in Cologne
• Army Logistics Centre (Logistikzentrum des Heeres) in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler
• Army NCO Academy (Unteroffizierschule des Heeres) in Münster, Delitzsch, and Weiden in der Oberpfalz
• Army Officers' Academy (Offizierschule des Heeres) in Dresden
• Army Tactics Centre (Taktikzentrum des Heeres) in Dresden
• Army Technical School (Technische Schule des Heeres und Fachschule des Heeres für Technik) in Aachen
• Artillery School (Artillerieschule) in Idar-Oberstein
• Infantry School (Infanterieschule) in Hammelburg
• Mountain and Winter Combat School (Gebirgs- und Winterkampfschule) in Mittenwald
• NBC Defence School (ABC- und Selbstschutzschule) in Sonthofen
• Sappers' School and Army Technical School for Structural Engineering (Pionierschule und Fachschule des Heeres für Bautechnik) in Munich
• SpecOps Training Centre (Ausbildungszentrum Spezielle Operationen) in Pfullendorf

[edit] Corps

In the German Army, unlike in the armies of its neighbours (France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark), there are no individual regiments. Instead, individual battalions of infantry, armour, artillery etc are given unique numbers.

The German Army distinguishes 11 different branches of service or corps, known as Truppengattungen. Each corps is responsible for education and training of its units, mostly by its own schools or training centres.

[edit] Signal Corps

Units of the signal corps (Fernmeldetruppe) are responsible for communication, strategic reconnaissance and electronic warfare. Most units of the signal corps belong to the Joint Support Centre (Streitkräftebasis).

Signal Corps
Stabs- und Fernmeldebataillon 4
Stabs- und Fernmeldebataillon 200
Gebirgsfernmeldebataillon 210
Stabs- und Fernmeldebataillon 701
Stabs- und Fernmeldebataillon 801
Stabs- und Fernmelderegiment 1
Führungsunterstützungsbataillon DLO
Luftlandefernmeldebataillon DSO

[edit] Army Reconnaissance Corps

During Army Transformation, the armoured reconnaissance corps (Panzeraufklärungstruppe) was given the new name Heeresaufklärungstruppe. The reason is that the original task of the armoured reconnaissance corps has changed. Today they need artillery drones or specialists from military intelligence units.

Army Reconnaissance Corps
Aufklärungskompanie 90
Aufklärungskompanie 210
Luftlandeaufklärungskompanie 260
Luftlandeaufklärungskompanie 310
Fernspählehrkompanie 200
Aufklärungsbataillon 3
Aufklärungsbataillon 6
Aufklärungsbataillon 8
Aufklärungsbataillon 13
Gebirgsaufklärungsbataillon 230

The army reconnaissance corps is equipped with Fennek, Luchs, Wiesel 1, the drone reconnaissance system KZO, ALADIN and LunaX, the radar system BÜR (Bodenüberwachungradar), Fuchs and Dingo. A typical reconnaissance battalion (Aufklärungsbataillon) is structured in a HQ & support company, two or three armoured reconnaissance companies, a drone reconnaissance company and a separate military intelligence platoon.

[edit] Armoured Corps

The armoured corps (Panzertruppen) are armoured units (Panzertruppe), equipped with main battle tanks, and mechanized infantry units (Panzergrenadiertruppe) equipped with IFVs.

Armoured Units	Mechanized Units
Panzerbatallion 33	Panzergrenadierbataillon 92
Panzerbataillon 92	Panzergrenadierbataillon 112
Panzerbatallion 104	Panzergrenadierbataillon 122
Panzerbataillon 203	Panzergrenadierbataillon 212
Panzerbatallion 303	Panzergrenadierbataillon 371
Panzerbataillon 413	Reservepanzergrenadierbataillon 382
	Panzergrenadierbataillon 391
	Panzergrenadierbataillon 401
	Panzergrenadierbataillon 411

A typical armoured battalion (Panzerbataillon) consists of a HQ & support company and three tank companies (equipped with 42 MBTs). The new mechanized battalion (Panzergrenadierbataillon) consists of a HQ & support company and three mechanized companies (equipped with up to 40 Marder 1 A5 or Puma). Formerly there was a fifth company with mortars or/and anti-tank units.

[edit] Infantry

Within the German Army, there are three types of infantry:

• Jäger—Light Infantry / Rangers
• Gebirgsjäger—Mountain Infantry
• Fallschirmjäger—Airborne troops

Airborne Infantry	Mountain Infantry	Light Infantry
Fallschirmjägerbatallion 261	Gebirgsjägerbataillon 231	Jägerbatallion 292
Fallschirmjägerbatallion 263	Gebirgsjägerbataillon 232	Jägerregiment 1 (luftbeweglich)
Fallschirmjägerbatallion 313	Gebirgsjägerbataillon 233
Fallschirmjägerbatallion 373	Gebirgsjägerbataillon 571

A typical infantry battalion is structured in a HQ & support company, three light infantry companies and an indirect fire support company ("The Heavy Company"). These company consists of two anti-tank platoons (equipped with Wiesel 1, TOW), two machine gun platoons (equipped with Wiesel 1, machine gun 20 mm) and two mortar platoons (today equipped with mortar 120 mm on M113, in future on Wiesel 2). Then you find specialized Infantry Platoons like a ski (Skizug) and a mountain ranger platoon (Hochgebirgszug) of the mountain infantry, a HALO platoon (Freifallzug) of the paratroops or K9 dog platoon (Diensthundezug) are found in the HQ & support company (Stabs- und Versorgungskompanie).

[edit] Special Forces

Through Army Transformation the Special Operations Division (DSO) was formed. Soldiers of the Special Forces Command (Kommando Spezialkräfte), formerly belonging to the infantry, today have their own division.

[edit] Artillery Corps

The majority of artillery corps (Artillerietruppe) within the German Army are Panzerartillerie (armoured artillery). After Army Transformation the German Army will only have six artillery units. The German Army doesn't need as much artillery for its peacekeeping missions as it did during the Cold War, so the new artillery corps is really smaller, but the units are bigger and stronger.

• Two armoured artillery battalions (Panzerartilleriebataillon) in the two brigades of the 1st Armoured Division with a HQ & support battery and three armoured artillery batteries (equipped with 27 Panzerhaubitze 2000).
• An artillery regiment with HQ Battery in the divisional troops of the 1st Armoured Division with:
  • An artillery reconnaissance battalion (Panzerartillerieaufklärungsbataillon) with a HQ & support battery, an artillery reconnaissance battery, a drone reconnaissance battery and two armoured artillery batteries (equipped with Fennek or Marder or Puma, KZO, 2 COBRA, 1 SMA, 2 ATMAS, 18 Panzerhaubitze 2000).
  • An artillery missile battalion (Raketenartilleriebataillon) with a HQ & support battery and four artillery missile batteries (equipped with 32 MLRS).
• A mixed artillery battalion (gemischtes Artilleriebataillon) of the Franco-German-Brigade with a HQ & support battery with artillery reconnaissance elements, two armoured artillery batteries and an artillery missile battery (equipped with 18 Panzerhaubitzen 2000, 10 MLRS, 1 KZO, 1 ATMAS, Fennek or Marder or Puma).
• An artillery reconnaissance regiment (Panzerartillerieaufklärungsregiment) with a HQ & support battery, an artillery reconnaissance battery, a drone reconnaissance battery and three armoured artillery batteries (equipped with 27 Panzerhaubitzen 2000, 1 KZO, 3 COBRA, 2 SMA, 4 ATMAS, Fennek or Puma or Marder).

[edit] Army Air Defence Corps

The army air defence corps (Heeresflugabwehrtruppe) is made up of five units:

• Three light air defence batteries of the 1st Armoured Division, the Special Operations Division (Division Spezielle Operationen) and the Airmobile Operations Division (Division Luftbewegliche Operationen), equipped with 19 Wiesel2-based Ozelot.
• A air defence regiment (Panzerflugabwehrregiment) of the 1st Armoured Division, equipped with Gepard.
• A air defence battalion (Panzerflugabwehrbataillon) of the Army Troop Command, equipped with Gepard.

[edit] Army Aviators Corps

The army aviators corps (Heeresfliegertruppe) provides helicopter assets to the German Army. These units are mainly organized into regiments. There are three types of helicopter regiments: the attack helicopter regiment (equipped with Bo155PAH, to be replaced by the Tiger), the light transport helicopter regiment (equipped with UH-1D, to be replaced by the NH90) and the transport helicopter regiment (equipped with CH-53G). The German Air Force and the German Navy also have helicopter units.

Army Aviators Corps
Heeresfliegeraufklärungsstaffel 100
Heeresfliegerunterstützungsstaffel 1
Heeresfliegerinstandsetzungsstaffel 1
Transporthubschrauberregiment 10
Transporthubschrauberregiment 15
Kampfhubschrauberregiment 26
Transporthubschrauberregiment 25
Transporthubschrauberregiment 30
Kampfhubschrauberregiment 36

A helicopter regiment is normally structured in a HQ squadron, a support squadron, a flying group (Fliegende Gruppe), with three squadrons, and a mechanic group (Luftfahrzeugtechnische Gruppe), with four squadrons. Each regiment is mostly equipped with up to 40 helicopters.

[edit] Engineer Corps

Units of the engineer corps (Pioniertruppe) engage in mobility, countermobility, survivability and general engineering operations. They have many faces: the engineers (Pioniere), the armoured engineers (Panzerpioniere), the airborne engineers (Luftlandepioniere), the mountain engineers (Gebirgspioniere) and other units. The engineer troop unit structure becomes larger and more effective in the new army.

Engineers	Armoured Engineers	Airborne Engineers	Mountain Engineers	Bridge Engineers
Pionierbataillon 130	Luftlandepionierkompanie 260	Gebirgspionierbataillon 8		Reservepionierbrückenbataillon 270
	Luftlandepionierkompanie 270
	Panzerpionierkompanie 550
	Panzerpionierbataillon 701
	Panzerpionierbataillon 803

• An armoured engineer battalion (Panzerpionierbataillon) consists of a HQ & support company and three armoured engineer companies.
• The mountain engineer battalion consists of a HQ & support company, two mountain engineer companies and a mountain engineer machine company.
• A heavy engineer battalion consists of a HQ & support company, two amphibious or bridge companies and two engineer machine companies.

[edit] NBC Corps

The units of the NBC corps (ABC-Abwehrtruppe) are responsible for decontamination of personnel, vehicles and other material. They also search for nuclear, bacterial or chemical sources. These research squads are equipped with the NBC Fox (ABC-Spürpanzer Fuchs), which will be replaced by the MRAV Boxer.

NBC Corps
leichte ABC-Abwehrkompanie 110
leichte ABC-Abwehrkompanie 120
ABC-Abwehrbataillon 7
ABC-Abwehrregiment 750

[edit] Logistics Corps

Units belonging to the logistics corps (Heereslogistiktruppen) support combat units. The logistics corps is the result of the fusion of the ordnance corps (Instandsetzungstruppe) and the supplies corps (Nachschubtruppe). Logistics units, mostly logistics battalions (Logistikbataillone) have many tasks: transportation, maintenance/repairing of vehicles, weapons and other material, supply of material, cooking meals for the German Army, etc.

Logistics Corps
Versorgungsbataillon D/F Brigade
Logistikbataillon 3
Logistikbataillon 4
Logistikbataillon 7
Gebirgslogistikbataillon 8
Logistikbataillon 141
Logistikbataillon 131
Logistikbataillon 142
Luftlandeunterstützungsbataillon 262
Luftlandeunterstützungsbataillon 272

A typical logistics battalion of the German Army consists of a HQ & support company, two light maintenance companies and two supply/transport companies. (In contrast a logistics battalion of the Joint Support Centre consists of a HQ & support company, two maintenance companies, two supply companies, a transport company and a special supply company.)

[edit] Weapons

[edit] Light Weapons

• Heckler & Koch G36—5.56 mm x 45 assault rifle replacing the Heckler & Koch G3 as primary weapon
• Heckler & Koch MG4 5.56 mm light machine gun, replacing the MG3 in the squad automatic weapon role
• MG3—7.62 mm x 51 machine gun
• Heckler & Koch MP7—4.6 mm x 30 submachine gun replacing the MP2 (Uzi submachine gun)
• Heckler & Koch MP5—9 x 19 mm submachine gun, only used by the military police (Feldjäger) and the KSK
• Heckler & Koch P8—9 mm x 19 pistol replacing the Walther P1
• Accuracy International AWM G22—7.62 mm x 66.5B sniper rifle
• Barrett M82 sniper rifle
• Dynamit Nobel Panzerfaust 3—Rocket propelled grenade
• Raytheon Fliegerfaust 2 (FIM-92 Stinger)—infrared homing surface-to-air missile
• MILAN
• HK 79 Granatpistole
• AG36 Granatpistole
• KM2000—172 mm tantō style blade standard combat knife

[edit] Reconnaissance Systems

• Fennek (light wheeled reconnaissance vehicle), replacing some Luchs
• Luchs A2 (wheeled tracked reconnaissance vehicle)
• Luna X 2000 (reconnaissance drone system)
• KZO (reconnaissance drone system)
• Aladin (reconnaissance drone system)
• RASIT (radar system), being phased out
• BÜR (radar system), replacing RASIT and ABRA

[edit] Combat vehicles

• Leopard 2 (Main Battle Tank)
  • A4, being phased out
  • A5
  • A6
• Marder 1 A3/A5 (infantry fighting vehicle)
• Puma (IFV) (infantry fighting vehicle), replaces the Marder in the Mechanized Infantry
• Wiesel 1/2 (light air-transportable tracked multirole vehicle)
  • as a reconnaissance vehicle for the airborne troops
  • with machine gun 20 mm
  • with TOW
  • with mortar 120 mm
  • as a radar vehicle for the light air defence system (LeFlaSys)
  • as a command vehicle for the LeFlaSys
  • as an engineer reconnaissance vehicle
  • with Stinger equipped for the LeFlaSys
  • as a medical vehicle for the airborne troops
• M113 A2 (multirole armoured vehicle), being phased out
• Boxer MRAV (multirole armoured vehicle), replaces M113 and Fuchs
• Jaguar 2, tank destroyer
• Dingo 1/2 (wheeled vehicle)
• AGF (Light infantry vehicle)
• Duro 3 (light wheeled vehicle)
• Mungo ESK (armoured tranport vehicle)
• Fuchs 1/2 (multirole armoured vehicle)

[edit] Artillery

• M270 MLRS (270 mm multiple rocket launcher)
• PzH 2000 (155 mm self-propelled howitzer), replacing some M109
• M109 A3 GE A1 (155 mm self-propelled howitzer), upgraded
• ABRA (artillery radar system), being phased out
• COBRA (artillery radar system)
• ATMAS (artillery weather measure system)
• SMA (artillery sound measure system)
• Taifun (attack drone system)—project cancelled

[edit] Air Defence Systems

• Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard 1 A2 (air defence tank, gun)
• ROLAND (air defence tank, missiles), being phased out until 2007
• LeFlaSys (leichtes Flugabwehrraketensystem), based on Wiesel 2
• LÜR (radar system), being phased out
• BÜR (radar system), ordered

[edit] Engineer Equipment

• Dachs (tracked engineer tank)
• Büffel (tracked salvage tank)
• Biber (bridge layer)
• Panzerschnellbrücke 2 (bridge layer), replacing the Biber
• Scorpion (mine system)
• Keiler (mine breaker)
• M3 (amphibious vehicle)
• Medium Girder Bridge (bridge system)
• Faltschnellbrücke (bridge system)
• Schwimmschnellbrücke (bridge system)
• Pontoon bridge
• Faltstraßensystem (mobile roadway system)

[edit] Aircraft inventory

The German Army operates 303 helicopters. Nearly all were built in Germany while nearly 40% are indigenous designs. 80 Eurocopter Tiger and 54 NH90 helicopters have been ordered.

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[1]	Notes
UH-1 Iroquois	Germany	utility helicopter	UH-1D	82	being withdrawn; built by Dornier
Bölkow Bo 105	Germany	scout/attack helicopter	Bo 105P	104
Eurocopter EC 135	European Union	utility helicopter		15
Eurocopter Tiger	European Union	attack helicopter			deliveries underway
NHI NH90	European Union	transport helicopter	NH90 TTH		deliveries underway
Sikorsky S-65 Sea Stallion	Germany	transport helicopter	CH-53G	80	110 built by VFW

[edit] Logistic Equipment

• SLT 50-3 Elefant (heavy tractor trailer, tank transport)
• Berge- und Kranfahrzeug, BKF 30.40 (salvage vehicle)

[edit] Non-combat vehicles

• Mercedes-Benz 250 GD "Wolf"
• LKW 2t mil gl, 4x4
• LKW 5t mil gl, 4x4
• LKW 5t tmil, 4x4
• LKW 7t mil gl, 6x6
• LKW 7t tmil, 6x6
• LKW 10t mil gl, 8x8
• LKW 15t mil gl, 8x8
• LKW 15t mil gl MULTI, 8x8

[edit] Reference

• Wheeler-Bennett, Sir John The Nemesis of Power: German Army in Politics, 1918-1945 New York: Palgrave Macmillan Publishing Company, 2005.

[edit] See also

• Bundeswehr
• Heer
• Infantryman of the Future
• History of Germany during World War II
• Prussian Army
• Reichswehr

[edit] External links

• Official Homepage of the German Army (Heer) in German

Historical Links:

• German Armed Forces 1918-1945
• German Army pre 1914
• German Army 1914-1918
• German Army Organization 1914
• German Infantry Photographs from WWII - Colour photographs of German infantry during WWII
• Gebirgsjaeger - German Mountain Troops (Special Forces)
• Axis History - Axis History site including German troops.

Bundeswehr (Military of Germany)
Heer (Army) | Marine (Navy) | Luftwaffe (Air force) Zentraler Sanitätsdienst (Central Medical Services) | Streitkräftebasis (Joint Service Support Command)