The German Army (German: Deutsches 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".
History
Since Germany first became a modern unified state in 1871, previous names of German unified military forces have included:
1919–1935 Reichswehr ("Empire Defence" and "Empire Defence Force") consisting of the Reichsheer (Army) and the Reichsmarine (Navy);
1935–1945 Wehrmacht ("Defence Force") consisting of the Wehrmacht 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. Overview
Main article: German Army (German Empire) Pre-1914
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 Army of the German Empire (Deutsches Reichsheer). By 1914 the German army fielded 50 active divisions and by 1918 251 divisions had been created.
World War I 1914–1918
Main article: Reichswehr
Reichswehr 1918–1935
Main article: Wehrmacht Wehrmacht 1935–1945
The Bundeswehr Heer was founded in 1955 as the army of West Germany. After 1990, it absorbed the army of socialist East Germany which was called the Landstreitkräfte (terrestrial armed forces), a part of Nationale Volksarmee.
Current Army
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.
Structure
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.
(Current Structure)
Army Command
- HQ Company
Franco-German Brigade
- HQ Company
3ème Régiment de Hussards
Light Infantry Battalion 292
110ème Régiment d'Infanterie
Mixed Artillery Battalion 295
Armoured Engineer Company 550
Support Battalion
Division Intervention Forces/ 1st Armoured Division
- HQ Company
Army Band 1
Artillery Regiment 100
- Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion 131
Rocket Artillery 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 (To be disbanded within 2007)
- HQ Company
Mechanized Infantry Battalion 421 (To be disbanded July 1st, 2007)
Armoured Brigade 9 (Training)
- 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
HQ Company
- Mechanized Infantry Battalion 294
Armoured Artillery Battalion 345
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
Mountain Infantry Battalion 232
Mountain Infantry Battalion 233
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
Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion 13
Mechanized Infantry Brigade 37
- HQ Company
Armoured Battalion 303
Light Infantry Battalion 371
Mechanized Infantry Battalion 393
Mountain Infantry Battalion 571
Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion 13
Armoured Engineer Battalion 701
Signal Battalion 701
Logistics Battalion 131
Mechanized Infantry Brigade 41
- HQ Company
Armoured Battalion 413
Armoured Engineer Battalion 803
Mechanized Infantry Battalion 401
Mechanized Infantry Battalion 411
Logistics Battalion 142
14th Mechanized Infantry Division (To be disbanded 2008)
- HQ Company
Army Band 14
Amoured Brigade 18
- HQ Company
Armoured Artillery Battalion 515
Mechanized Infantry Battalion 182
Signal Battalion 610
Signal Battalion 801
Armored Reconnaissance Battalion 6
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
Aviation Medium Transport Regiment 15
Aviation Medium Transport Regiment 25
Aviation Transport Regiment 30
Airmobile Brigade 1
- HQ Company
Aviation Reconnaissance Squadron 100
Aviation Support Squadron 1
Aviation Mechanic Squadron 1
Light Infantry Regiment 1
Attack Helicopter Regiment 26
Attack Helicopter Regiment 36
Aviation Transport Regiment 10
Aviation Brigade 3
- HQ Company
Amoured Brigade 14
- HQ Company
Signal Battalion 820
Amoured Battalion 64
Amoured Engineer Company 200
Army Troops Command
- HQ Company
Army Band 300
NBC Brigade 100
- HQ Company
NBC Regiment 750
NBC Battalion 610
NBC Battalion 805
Artillery Brigade 100
- HQ Company
Rocket Artillery Battalion 132
Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion 71
Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion 121
Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion 131
Field Signal Intelligence Centre of the Army
Air Defence Brigade 100
- HQ Company
Air Defence Battalion 6
Air Defence Battalion 12
Air Defence Battalion 131
Engineer Brigade 100
- HQ Company
Heavy Engineer Battalion 130
Engineer Battalion 140
Armoured Enginer Battalion 1
Light NBC Company 120
Intervention Forces Operative Guidance Command
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) German Army Command
The German Army Office in Cologne is responsible for the administration, education, training and logistics of the German Army. It is commanded by a lieutenant general or a major general.
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 Aviators School (Heeresfliegerwaffenschule) in Bückeburg
Army Combat Simulation Centre (Gefechtssimulationszentrum des Heeres) in Wildflecken
Army Combat Training Centre (Gefechtsübungszentrum des Heeres) in Letzlingen
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' School (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
International Special Training Center (Ausbildungszentrum Spezielle Operationen) in Pfullendorf German Army Office (Heeresamt)
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.
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
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.
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.
Army Reconnaissance Corps
The armoured corps (Panzertruppen) are armoured units (Panzertruppe), equipped with main battle tanks, and mechanized infantry units (Panzergrenadiertruppe) equipped with IFVs.
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.
Armoured Corps
Within the German Army, there are three types of infantry:
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 one anti-tank platoons (equipped with Wiesel 1, TOW), three 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 mountain ranger platoon (Hochgebirgszug) of the mountain infantry, a pathfinder platoon (Fallschirmspezialzug) of the paratroops or K9 dog platoon (Diensthundezug) are found in the HQ & support company (Stabs- und Versorgungskompanie).
Jäger—Light Infantry / Rangers
Gebirgsjäger—Mountain Infantry
Fallschirmjäger—Airborne troops Infantry
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.
Special Forces
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 no longer requires the same amount of artillery for its peacekeeping missions as it did during the Cold War, so the new artillery corps is relatively smaller, however the units are larger 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). Artillery 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.
An air defence regiment (Panzerflugabwehrregiment) of the 1st Armoured Division, equipped with Gepard.
An air defence battalion (Panzerflugabwehrbataillon) of the Army Troop Command, equipped with Gepard. Army Air Defence Corps
The army air 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 Bo 105 PAH, 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.
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.
Army Aviators 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.
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. Engineer 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
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.
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.)
Logistics Corps
Weapons
Gewehr G36 with retracted bipod
MG4
G82
G22
Heckler & Koch G36—5.56 mm x 45 assault rifle replacing the Heckler & Koch G3 as primary weapon
Version G36K and G36C for several branches including Special Forces
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
G8—7.62 mm x 51 machine gun, only used by special forces
Heckler & Koch MP7—4.6 mm x 30 submachine gun, replacing the MP2
MP2—9 x 19 mm 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 x 19 mm pistol
G22—7.62 mm x 66.5B sniper rifle
G82—sniper rifle
Dynamit Nobel Panzerfaust 3—Rocket propelled grenade
Raytheon Fliegerfaust 2 (FIM-92 Stinger)—infrared homing surface-to-air missile
MILAN—anti-tank guided missile system
Granatpistole 40mm—grenade launcher
HK GMG—grenade autocannon
AG36—grenade launcher
KM2000—172 mm tantō style blade standard combat knife Standard Light Weapons
Fennek (light wheeled reconnaissance vehicle), replacing some Luchs
Luchs A2 (wheeled reconnaissance vehicle)
Luna X 2000 (reconnaissance drone system)
KZO (reconnaissance drone system)
Aladin (reconnaissance drone system)
MIKADO (mini reconnaissance drone system)
RASIT (radar system), being phased out
BÜR (radar system), replacing RASIT and ABRA Reconnaissance Systems
AGF & PzH 2000
GTK Boxer
Mungo ESK
ATF DINGO 2
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 autocannon 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
GTK Boxer (multirole armoured vehicle), replaces M113 and Fuchs
Jaguar 2 (tank destroyer), being phased out
Dingo 1/2 (armoured wheeled vehicle)
Grizzly (armoured wheeled vehicle)
AGF Serval
YAK (Duro III) (armoured wheeled vehicle)
Mungo ESK (armoured transport vehicle)
Fuchs 1/2 (multirole armoured vehicle)
BV 206 S (tracked armoured transport vehicle) Combat vehicles
M270 MLRS (227 mm multiple rocket launcher)
PzH 2000 (155 mm self-propelled howitzer), replacing M109
M109 A3 GE A1 (155 mm self-propelled howitzer), upgraded, being phased out and replaced by PzH 2000
ABRA (artillery radar system), being phased out
COBRA (artillery radar system)
ATMAS (artillery weather measure system)
SMA (artillery sound measure system) Artillery
Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard 1 A2 (Self propelled anti air gun)
ROLAND (Air defence system), phased out
LeFlaSys (leichtes Flugabwehrraketensystem), based on Wiesel 2
LÜR (radar system), being phased out
BÜR (radar system) Air Defence Systems
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)
Faltfestbrücke (bridge system)
Faltschwimmbrücke (bridge system)
Pontoon bridge
Faltstraßensystem (mobile roadway system) Aircraft inventory
SLT 50-3 Elefant (heavy tractor trailer, tank transport)
Berge- und Kranfahrzeug, BKF 30.40 (salvage vehicle) Non-combat vehicles
Wheeler-Bennett, Sir John The Nemesis of Power: German Army in Politics, 1918-1945 New York: Palgrave Macmillan Publishing Company, 2005.
- as a reconnaissance vehicle for the airborne troops
- A4, being phased out
- 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).
- HQ Company (German shares)
- Signal Battalion (German shares)
- HQ Company (German shares)
- HQ Company (German shares)
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- Mechanized Infantry Battalion 294
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- Heavy Engineer Battalion 130
- Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion 131
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- HQ Company
- 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)
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