From frigates to uniforms: we provide our armed forces with high-performance defense materiel.
The major organizational element AIN plans, manages and monitors national and international armament projects. In doing so, it is geared towards the tasks of the Bundeswehr and the capability profile derived from them. The spectrum covers all armament articles and defense materiel including information technology through to items of personal equipment for Bundeswehr military personnel. AIN has overall responsibility for the equipment and in-service support process, which also comprises the responsibility for the operational viability of the defense materiel.
Defense procurement - explained in a simple manner
This materiel is procured by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw for short). Its task is to provide the Bundeswehr with state-of-the-art technology and items of equipment and to procure them at economic conditions. BAAINBw fulfills the function of the central technical service provider for the Bundeswehr.
BAAINBw performs the varied tasks itself or awards them to business and industry. Depending on the type of project, it awards contracts on research, development, procurement or maintenance activities. As a central "purchasing agent" for the Bundeswehr, BAAINBw thus is an important public customer.
Learn more about the topic of “contract award”.
BAAINBw is responsible for developing, testing and procuring all kinds of equipment and information technology for the Bundeswehr. The range of products is vast: it includes backpacks, weapons, drones, tanks, aircraft, IT components for ships and much more.
But it doesn’t end with procurement: our specialist personnel support the products also during in-service use, i.e. the life cycle of equipment and information technology. They order upgrades, for example, if it becomes apparent during in-service use that an additional capability is needed. Among other things, the Puma armored infantry fighting vehicle was upgraded with a tactical laser-based weapon training system.
BAAINBw is not a supreme federal authority. Supreme federal authorities are characterized by the fact that they are established by the German constitution (Basic Law). The Federal Ministry of Defense is one of the supreme federal authorities. BAAINBw is a higher federal authority. It has the following subordinate agencies: eight technical centers and research institutes, the Naval Arsenal and the German Liaison Office for Defense Materiel USA/Canada in the United States.
As a higher federal authority, BAAINBw is directly subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Defense. The subordinate authorities cover different sovereign tasks and are responsible for the entire Federal territory. The activities of a higher federal authority are monitored by a supervisory body of the superior authority. It is thus the Federal Ministry of Defense that exercises operational supervision over BAAINBw.
BAAINBw’s headquarters are in Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate. Other BAAINBw locations include Bonn, Lahnstein in Rhineland-Palatinate, Dresden and the locations of subordinate agencies such as Reston in the United States, Greding in Upper Bavaria and Meppen in Lower Saxony. In total, the AIN major organizational element has 116 locations.
The entire AIN major organizational element, which is headed by BAAINBw, comprises around 11,800 personnel. 6,200 of these personnel belong to BAAINBw, one of the largest technical authorities in Europe.
The AIN major organizational element consists of the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) and its ten agencies in Germany and the United States of America.
AIN Press and Information Center
Regierungsstraße 3
56068 Koblenz
