Turntable Germany: Logistical uniformity instead of patchwork for military crafts
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Published on: July 2, 2025 / update from: July 2, 2025 - Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
Turntable Germany: Logistical uniformity instead of patchwork for military skiing - Image: Xpert.digital
Bundeswehr and Autobahn GmbH create uniform regulations for military transport
NATO transports on German motorways: Bundeswehr secures privileged passengers
In view of the changed security policy situation in Europe, the Federal Republic of Germany is in a phase of the comprehensive realignment of its defense structures. The strategic importance of Germany as a logistical turntable for military movements within the NATO alliance plays a central role. In this context, the agreement between the Bundeswehr and the Autobahn GmbH of the federal government is to be assessed as a pioneering step in June 2025, which creates the basis for more efficient and faster processing of military transports on German highways.
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Paradigm shift in the German defense strategy
The strategic situation in Germany has changed fundamentally since the end of the Cold War. While Germany was considered a front state until reunification, it is now the center of an extended NATO area. This geographical position makes Germany a logistical turntable for troop movements and material laying that is required to reinforce the NATO-East flank. The paradigm shift from the position of a potential battlefield towards a central supply base requires a comprehensive redesign of the military transport infrastructure and the associated procedures.
The NATO alliance has reorganized itself in view of the threat of Russia and introduced the new NATO Force Model, which will replace the previous NATO Response Force from 2025. Germany participates in this new model with around 35,000 soldiers and over 200 aircraft and ships - more than twice as many as in the previous NRF. This significant increase in German contributions to the collective defense makes the need for a powerful transport infrastructure all the more urgent.
The Operation Plan Germany as a strategic foundation
The Operation Plan Germany (OPLAN AU) forms the strategic foundation for Germany's new role in alliance defense. This secret plan includes all the Bundeswehr's operational scenarios in peace, crisis and war and defines the Federal Republic as a logistical hub for the deployment and the care of ally and own armed forces. A central aspect of the OPLU is the overall -state approach that brings together military and civilian actors in a coordinated system.
NATO's planning states that several hundred thousand soldiers have to be treated logistically and medically. In a possible attack by Russia, up to 800,000 soldiers from the NATO alliance partner would have to be transported across Germany with their weapons, vehicles and supply goods. These dimensions illustrate the immense logistical challenge that Germany must master as a transit nation.
The new agreement: uniformity instead of patchwork
The agreement between the Bundeswehr and Autobahn GmbH, signed on June 30, 2025, represents a significant milestone in the modernization of German military logistics. The new regulation replaces the previously inconsistent agreements of the individual federal states and for the first time creates clear, uniform framework conditions for military transport in the German motorway network.
Up to this point, there was a complex patchwork of various country-specific regulations for the Bundeswehr area and heavy transports. The approval process for military transports varied significantly between the federal states, which led to time -consuming and inefficient processes. As early as 2024, the Saarland was the first federal state to make a corresponding agreement with the Bundeswehr and thus created a precedent.
The signing of the nationwide agreement took place by Dr. Michael Güntner, CEO of Autobahn GmbH of the federal government, lieutenant general André Bodemann, deputy of the commander of the Bundeswehr's operational management command, and Prof. Dr. Roland Börger, President of the Federal Office for Infrastructure, Environmental Protection and Services of the Bundeswehr.
Institutional structures and responsibilities
The agreement was drawn up on the basis of a proposal from the Federal Fernstrasse Federal Office and regulates the use of roads in accordance with the road traffic regulations. The Federal Fernstrasse Federal Agency, which was built in 2018 as the Federal Colonele in the business area of the Federal Ministry of Transport, is practicing the legal and specialist supervision of the federal government.
Autobahn GmbH of the federal government itself was founded in 2018 and took over the planning, construction, maintenance, financing and the wealthy management of the highways in Germany in early 2021. This comprehensive reform of the Federal Long -distance road management made it possible for the first time to manage the entire motorway network from a single source and to set uniform standards nationwide.
The Federal Office for Infrastructure, Environmental Protection and Services of the Bundeswehr (BAIUDBW) acts as one of the three resource offices of the military administration and is responsible for construction measures in Germany, abroad and in the areas of application. With around 3,000 employees at home and abroad, the BAIUDBW coordinates all support services for foreign missions and organizes its own and subordinate area with around 29,000 posts.
Host nation support as a central task
Germany, as a guest, plays a central role in the support of allied armed forces as part of the Host Nation Support (HNS). This support includes a wide range of services, from providing infrastructure to logistical support and security measures. HNS is an overall task in which civilian authorities, blue light organizations and commercial companies also participate.
The legal foundations for HNS form the NATO troop statute and its additional agreements as well as bi- and multilateral agreements between the participating countries. The Bundeswehr is authorized to use excessive roads, provided that corresponding agreements are made. The new agreement with Autobahn GmbH represents an important building block in this system because it creates the necessary legal framework for military transports.
Your dual -use logistics expert
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Germany as a NATO hub: Why the Bundeswehr-Autobahn cooperation can only be the beginning
Civil-military cooperation in logistics
The effective implementation of the German turntable function requires close cooperation between military and civilian actors. The Bundeswehr logistics command initiated the project "Future orientation cooperations in logistics" in order to find and use innovative ways in working with the economy. These collaborations are essential, since the Bundeswehr will need significantly higher secure logistical capacities in the future than they are available today and will be militarily image.
The integration of the commercial economy into the Logistical System of the Bundeswehr must be made future -proof. Civil service providers can play an important role in this, but there is still a right to refuse performance that could become problematic in times of crisis. Therefore, new approaches in the logistical processes, the accompanying framework and contractual regulations are required.
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Challenges of the transport infrastructure
The German transport infrastructure faces significant challenges that affect military mobility. The dilapidated infrastructure of Germany, bureaucratic hurdles, capacity bottlenecks and susceptible communication systems massively affect the mobility of the military. This makes it difficult for Germany to meet its obligations as part of the new NATO Force Model.
Experts are calling for a special fund of 30 billion euros to target the targeted renewal of military corridors. Many roads and rails have not caught up with heavy military vehicles, and numerous bridges have to be checked and, if necessary, reinforced. The Berlin Ring is only one example of the fact that important transport connections due to renovation work cannot be used for military transports at times.
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Dual-use logistics: The underestimated key for Germany's defense ability-criticism of the lack of dual-use concept
An essential point of criticism of the current approach is the insufficient consideration of the concept of dual-use logistics. While the new agreement between the Bundeswehr and Autobahn GmbH is an important step, the strategic integration of civil and military logistics systems remains incomplete. The concept of dual-use logistics describes the strategic use of infrastructures, systems and capacities for both civil and military purposes.
The modern logistics landscape of Europe faces the double challenge of increasing the efficiency and sustainability of civilian supply chains and at the same time meets the increased demands on military mobility. A comprehensive dual-use logistics network would provide valuable capacities for both military and civilian emergencies. The synergy potential between civilian economic interests and military defense requirements have so far not been adequately used.
Enlightenment in strategic contexts is particularly important here. The integration of civil systems into military logistics networks requires a comprehensive consideration of interoperability and cyber security. Military planning and resilience concepts can be transferred to civilian supply chains, while civilian technological innovations can expand military skills. The practical implementation of an extended dual-use logistics would bring concrete operational advantages that go beyond theoretical concepts.
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International dimension and EU cooperations
Military mobility is not only a national, but also a European challenge. All EU and NATO member states have agreed on the promotion of “military mobility”. A common goal is the accelerated approval for the entrance and passage of armed forces, including large-scale and heavy transports of military goods.
In order to reduce bureaucracy, it is recommended to abolish the transport of military goods between the federal states and to harmonize the cross-border permits and tariffs at the EU level. The legal and regulatory harmonization is essential for the cross-border use of dual-use logistics systems and affects both dual-use export controls and provisions for military transports.
Security aspects and cyber protection
The integration of civil and military logistics systems also brings specific security challenges. The integration of civil systems into military logistics networks increases the area of attack for cyber threats, especially in view of the current hybrid threats from state actors. Robust cyber security measures must be implemented that require close cooperation between security authorities and private logistics service providers.
For the critical communication infrastructure in transportation, it is recommended not to use components from China and, at least through the planned criticism law to protect critical infrastructure, to specify the certification of critical components. The technical interoperability between various national and civil-military systems requires extensive standardization efforts.
Outlook and other developments
The new agreement between the Bundeswehr and Autobahn GmbH is an important first step in the modernization of German military logistics. It creates the basis for more efficient processing of military transports and strengthens Germany's role as a logistical hub of NATO. The agreement applies to all highways in Germany and also includes transports by companies commissioned by the Bundeswehr, provided that they act in the sovereign mandate.
However, the successful implementation of the turntable function will require further efforts. The dilapidated transport infrastructure must be modernized, bureaucratic hurdles are dismantled and the cooperation between civilian and military actors further intensified. It is particularly important to implement dual-use concepts that enable optimal use of existing resources and create synergies between civil and military requirements.
The geopolitical developments and the continuing threat of Russia make it clear that Germany must continuously strengthen its defense and alliance ability. The new agreement with Autobahn GmbH is an important component in this process, but it can only be the beginning of a more comprehensive transformation of German defense logistics. The challenges of the future require innovative solutions that combine military effectiveness with economic efficiency and social acceptance.
Only through a holistic view that takes into account both military and civilian requirements and fully exploits the potential of dual-use logistics can Germany meet its responsibility as a central hub of NATO logistics. The strategic importance of this task for European security makes it clear that not only national, but also European and transatlantic interests are at stake here.
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