Possible defense logistics: The southern German dual-us logistics corRidor Augsburg-Ingolstadt-Regensburg

Military & economy hand in hand: Bavaria's new corridor as a blueprint for dual-use infrastructure

By 2030, a more and more enforced east-west axis will be built between Augsburg, Ingolstadt and Regensburg on route class C (20 t axle load), which meets NATO military "military mobility" requirements and at the same time serves as an economic growth engine for southern Germany.

The combination of rail and road expansion, new logistics and health locations as well as a cross-border harmonized approval process creates a networked dual-use corridor with high resilience and future viability.

Strategic importance

Germany already acts as a logistical hub of the Allianz; Almost all laying routes to the NATO-East flank lead over German territory. The Bavarian Querspange Augsburg - Ingolstadt - Regensburg closes a gap here:

• Militually, it enables rapid laying of heavy chain vehicles to Military Load Classification 70 on rails and in parallel via heavy-duty roads, without critical bridge or tunnel bottlenecks.
• Economically, it binds the dynamic industrial and research regions of Swabia, Donau-Eller and Upper Palatinate closer to the north-south transverse Munich-Berlin and Rhein-Main-Vienna and increases the capacity for energy and time-critical goods flows.

Technical key data of the high level

Technical key data of the high level - Image: Xpert.digital

The high classification of the infrastructure includes several central measures by 2030. The track renewal and modernization of the bridge structures will enable route class C4 with a resilience of 20 tons of wheel set load and 8 tons per meter of meter load. This creates the passability through MLC-70 armored transports and 740 meters long freight trains.

The electrification of the Augsburg-Ingolstadt route along the couple and Danube route takes place with 15 kv/16.7 Hz technology and ETCS level 2. This measure enables low-emission freight traffic and creates redundancy for the ICE axis Munich-Nuremberg.

The expansion of the B 16 and the A 93 node with heavy-duty parking spaces will enable a clear height of at least 5 meters and a permissible total mass of 290 tons. This serves to unmistakation the military motorway hub and resting and tanklogistics.

The KV terminal “Donaulogistik Ost” in Obertraubling will offer a capacity of 320,000 TEU per year with 600 meters of envelope tracks. It supports the combined traffic and serves as a reserve logistics for NATO hubs.

The regional med log cluster with the Ingolstadt Clinic II will provide 150 beds of reserve capacity for the care of wounded and as a flood disaster prevention.

Dual-use concept: civil and military in harmony

1. Common use

Routes, terminals and tank points are technically interpreted in such a way that civil goods transport benefit in everyday operation, while military transports can be prioritized in the event of tension or defense.

2. Standardization & procedure

The approval channels standardized in the EU Pesco project "Military Mobility" shorten national exceptional permits from part 30 to under 5 days-a decisive time gain in the quick strength.

3. Resilience through redundancy

Double tracks, modular bridges and failure-proof signal boxes minimize the risk of longer closures in civilian long-distance transport and secure crisis and disaster mobility.

Economic impulses

• Freight traffic forecast 2030: +23% in Baden-Württemberg/Bavaria, rapidly growing combination traffic.
• Regional added value: According to the IHK Swabian, new logistics and commercial space along the corridor generate a "high economic benefit" beyond the core area.
• Jobs: Modernized KV terminals create up to 2,000 direct and indirect areas in the area of Regensburg and Ingolstadt.
• Climate parts: relocation of heavy transport from road to the electrified rail reduces CO₂ emissions per ton km by up to 70%.

With the southern German logistics corridor, an exemplary project of modern dual-use infrastructure is created: it combines defense and economic policy, bundles funding from the federal traffic routes, CEF military mobility and Bavarian state programs and, as targeted investments in severe load capacity, digitization and resilience, as a NATO-hub and at the same time strengthen and at the same time strengthen sustainable Promote regional growth.

Heavy -duty route category C transforms southern German traffic axis into strategic corridor

The planned upgrade to the category C category by 2030 creates a militarily and economically highly resilient east-west axis in southern Germany. A networked "dual-use corridor", which meets NATO requirements and at the same time stimulates regional growth, creates targeted individual measures-from track and road expansion to the expansion of medical and logistical-commercial infrastructure.

Technical starting position

The technical starting point shows significant differences between the C-Bahn route and the federal road 16. The railway line allows a permissible wheel set load of 20 tons with a maximum meter load of 8 tons per meter, while the federal road allows a truck axis load of 11.5 tons to StVO, but sometimes has bottlenecks in bridges.

There are various challenges in the bottlenecks: the railway line suffers from narrow track arches and limited light space profiles, while the federal road is impaired by local passages and missing overtaking strips.

From a military point of view, the railway line offers the possibility of transporting chain and wheel armor up to 70 tons, while the main road serves as an alternative route for convoys and heavy transports.

The civilian benefit also differs significantly: the railway line enables 25 percent more freight tract mass per train compared to a class B route, while a 2+1 or 4-lined expansion of the federal road would reduce the stowage pages by more than 30 percent.

Planned measures at an overview

Planned measures at an overview - Image: Xpert.digital

The planned measures include various infrastructural improvements to optimize military and civil traffic. First, the lowering of six track arches is planned in order to adhere to the light space profile G2 for Leopard 2 A7 and transport trains and reduce dynamic wheel load tips. This is done according to the route expansion standard "Military class CM3" analogous to the DB directive 819.

Furthermore, the new construction of heavy-duty handling ramps on the Danube should enable tanks or large transformers between the railway and inland navigation and create a connection to the Ten-T Rhine-Danube corridor. The existing heavy goods cranes of the Bayernhafen Regensburg serve as a blueprint.

The expansion of the B 16 between Günzburg and Regensburg as a 2+1 or 4-lane route should ensure the unbundling of civil and military road traffic and enable detours during route closures. This measure is considered an urgent need in the BVWP 2030 with an investment of over 800 million euros.

In addition, a Medical Role 3 center at the Bundeswehr Hospital Ulm is planned, which should offer an air bridge for wounded, a 24/7 shock room and a roof heliport directly in the emergency room. The integration into the BW dream network would create a full-fledged national trauma center with already NATO-certified capacities.

Finally, PPP logs are intended on industrial wasteland, which offer 50 to 100 hectares of reserve surface along the route, modular lightweight halls and customs and dangerous goods. These are also intended to open options for long-term business and are based on a military-economic cooperation model according to the logkdo concept "Future-oriented cooperation" with IHK support for B 16 nodes.

Military added value

1. Strategic laying capacity - Germany remains "logistical hub" for up to 800,000 Allied soldiers in 180 days.
2. Load reserves-category C enables 62-T freight cars without laning; Ramps on the Danube create trimodal redundancy.
3. Wounded supply-Role-3-Center Ulm secures surgical full care within the NATO-gold hour via CH-53K or A400M Medevac.

Civilian effects

• Freight traffic: 42% forecast rail goods plus by 2030 can be partially shifted to the corridor.
• Jobs: Expansion B 16 and cover ramps generate according to IHK estimates> 2,500 construction and 1 200 permanent positions in logistics and port companies.
• Environment: relocation of heavy goods to inland ship saves around 60% CO₂ compared to road per 1 000 t-km.
• Crisis resilience: Dual-use systems strengthen regional disaster defense (pandemic intensive transport, flood logistics).

challenges

The project faces various challenges that require corresponding solutions. In the area of permits for the level of the track, the FFH areas along the Danube are a considerable risk. For risk minimization, an early environmental impact assessment and noise report as well as the provision of compensation areas are intended.

When expanding the B 16, citizens' initiatives under the motto "No highway B 16" resistance could be made. As a countermeasure, it is proposed to realize "2 + 1" sections instead of a consistently four-lane version and to build noise protection walls.

The financing of the overall package of over 1.6 billion euros is another challenge. For this, a proposal for financing through the federal budget and a special fund for military mobility, which is a comprehensive special fund. In addition, PPP hubs should contribute to the amortization of the area costs.

The shortage of skilled workers in the construction and logistics area with a forecast bottleneck of 6,000 engineers in Bavaria by 2030 is addressed by various measures: bundle allocation, lots of lot sizes and the introduction of dual courses should contribute to the solution.

Realization timetable (simplified milestone plan)

The implementation schedule for the project extends over six years from 2025 to 2030. In 2025, the planning approval for the track arches and the completion of the spatial planning for the B 16 are to be reached. In 2026, the PPP-Loghubs are awarded and the start of the ramp construction in Regensburg. A year later, 2027, the first 2+1 sections of the B 16 between Günzburg and Donauwörth are completed. In 2028, the fleet is completed and test drives are carried out with the Leopard 2 train. In 2029, NATO recertification of the Role-3 center in Ulm and the heliport upgrade. Finally, the official classification of the route as a C4/CE and the fully operated operation of the logistics corridor is recorded in 2030.

The bundling of federal, state, Bundeswehr and private funds makes the corridor a model project dual -use infrastructure. Heavy-load capacity, medical high-performance supply and regional economic development work into one another-a resilient model for other German NATO corridors.

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Southern German logistics corridor: Why the axis Augsburg-Ingolstadt-Regensburg becomes strategically important

The determination and planning of the so-called southern German logistics corridor, which comprises the axis Augsburg- Ingolstadt- Regensburg, takes place as part of various transport and spatial planning documents at the federal and state level. Important basics and sources are:

• Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan 2030: Central infrastructure projects for rail and road traffic are determined here. The connection Augsburg- Ingolstadt- Regensburg is part of the overarching logistics axes and is treated in the context of the construction and new building of important rail and road connections.
• Regional traffic and spatial planning plans: The Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK), especially the IHK Swabians, refer to the importance and determination of these corridors in statements on spatial planning procedures. They argue with the integration into the "Magistral for Europe" and the strengthening of the southern rail between Rhein/Ruhr, Stuttgart, Munich and further east.
• Specific planning documents from DB Netz AG and the Bavarian Railway Company (BEG): These contain route variants, capacity calculations and the connection of logistics locations along the route. The planning is publicly interpreted as part of spatial planning processes and commented on by the municipalities concerned, counties and economic chambers.

In its official statement on the Ulm- Augsburg outdoor and new line, the IHK Schwaben explicitly refers to the importance of the corridor for the entire region and emphasizes that cities and municipalities along the Donautalbahn (Ulm-Günzburg- Donauwörth- Ingregensburg) benefit from the planned improvements. The determination of an hourly long-term long-distance transport connection in the federal traffic plan and the corresponding conception in the "Germany-TICT" are central foundations for the development of the logistics corridor.

"Analogous to the effects of driving time reductions described above beyond a pure new line, the cities and municipalities on the Donautalbahn (Ulm–) Günzburg - Donauwörth - - Ingolstadt (–Gregensburg) benefit from an improved offer in Günzburg."

Several of the individual measures mentioned exist as a civilian-motivated project (B 16 expansion, port and KV extensions, route renovation). An integrated, military-civil planned heavy-duty corridor strategy with explicit classification as a category C and coordination of all five points can be found in no federal or state planning, nor in EU program documents for military mobility, at least officially.

The evaluation of the individual building blocks shows a mixed picture: the railway line as a heavy load class C is only partially realized- while the Donautalbahn Regensburg- Ingolstadt already meets the required D4 classification, the Paartalbahn Ingolstadt- Augsburg also has sections of the classes CE/B2, which requires comprehensive bridge and track renovations. A continuous class-C lead would require new buildings and investments of several hundred million euros, which is why the military suitability is currently only available on sections.

When lowering six track arches, DB's network expansion and general renovation documents include no projects that expressly serve to “lower the tank transport”, so that there is currently no evidence of a militarily motivated measure.

The heavy load handling ramps on the Danube are already partly available, since the port of Regensburg has twin portal cranes up to 2 × 45 t and weekly heavy goods envelopes up to 80 t. New ramps are not shown in the current harbor master plan, but civilian heavy load capacity is already available, without a new building specifically proven for armored transports.

The expansion of the B 16 as an alternative route has been politically decided - a three -lined or four -lane expansion by 2030 on the grounds of traffic flow and security. The military suitability as a heavy convoy route is possible with light room 4.50 m and 60 t load capacity, whereby there is a dual-use option, but is not the primary goal of the project.

The Medical Role 3 Center Ulm already shows real military use because the Bwkrhs Ulm is a Role 4-capable Bundeswehr hospital with an intensive air rescue profile. Pilot exercises Tacaet demonstrate air bridge training, while civil maximum care is already established, which means real dual-use.

The temporary log hubs on industrial wastes in PPP-shape have so far represent a pure concept idea, since there is no official PPP model in Bavaria IHK or BMDV databases. The development of wasting areas is part of regional business development, but without a military reference, and no implementation steps are documented.

Opportunities and hurdles for real dual-use realization

• Technical feasibility: retrofitting of the couple valley (change of B2 → C), new storage and charging controls, portal cranes ≥ 100 t, RO-RO ramps on Danube investors.
• Financing: Combination of investment framework plan BUND, CEF Military Mobility (funding rate up to 50%) and private terminal operator capital.
• Approval/bureaucracy: standardized dangerous goods and large-scale permit between Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg; §§ 46-47 StVO releases for LV/BV convoys.
• Prioritization: Admission of the corridor to the next "Schiene needs plan" and the national implementation list Military Mobility; Otherwise no chance of public law financing.

Conclusion

• Status quo: The individual projects mentioned are running - but not as a coordinated, militarily driven large program.
• Evaluation: The project has so far been potential, no implementation project. Many elements fit together, but can only be put under the EU label "Dual-Fair / Military Mobility" by formal link.
• Recommendation: A joint project call from BMDV, BMVG, DB Infrago AG, Bayernhafen and countries Bavaria/BW would be necessary.
• Feasibility study (cost-use, MLC proof, economic effects) until 2026; Only then could it be said whether the corridor will actually be used as a dual-use logistics.
• In short: the corridor can be used dual, but it should not yet be used - because there is no binding overall planning.

Markus Becker

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