Defense Standards

The German armaments organization mainly uses appropriate civilian standards such as DINDeutsches Institut für Normung, ENEuropäische Norm or ISOInternational Organization for Standardization for developing and procuring materiel. If civilian standards cannot be applied due to the requirements applicable to military operations, an attempt is first made to incorporate the specific requirements pertaining to defense technology into already existing civilian standards or civilian standards which are in preparation. For this purpose, experts of the armaments organization are actively involved as equal partners in the work of the relevant civilian standardization committees of the German Institute for Standardization (DINDeutsches Institut für Normung).

German military standards and material specifications sheets

If justified military requirements cannot be considered in civilian standards, experts of the armaments organization and representatives from the relevant industries will prepare German military standards (VGVerteidigungsgeräte standards) and/or BAAINBwBundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr material specifications sheets (WL sheets). This work is done in accordance with the regulations of the civilian DINDeutsches Institut für Normung defense technology standardization committees. Once civilian standards cover the military requirements satisfactorily, the pertinent military standards are withdrawn. 

The List of Standards lists the current inventory of VGVerteidigungsgeräte standards and BAAINBwBundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr material specifications sheets. The VGVerteidigungsgeräte standards and WL sheets may be obtained from DINDeutsches Institut für Normung Media GmbHGesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung.

European Defence Standards Reference System (EDSTAREuropean Defence Standards Reference System)

The European Committee for Standardisation (CENComité Européen de Normalisation) provides a European Handbook for Defence Procurement (EHDPEuropean Handbook For Defence Procurement) for standards at European level, an internet database containing military standards and procurement documents of the European nations and of NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization. This database also includes recommendations for the use of best practice standards in armaments-related fields of technology.

Since 9 June 2011, the European Defence Agency (EDAEuropäische Verteidigungsagentur) has been maintaining and expanding the EHDPEuropean Handbook For Defence Procurement to serve as a “European Defence Standards Reference System” (EDSTAREuropean Defence Standards Reference System). For further information, please refer to the EDSTAREuropean Defence Standards Reference System Website.

In this section, you find various forms to be used in connection with German military standards (Verteidigungsgerätenorm, VGVerteidigungsgeräte).

In the Bundeswehr, certain components are subject to approval. The approval process is conducted in accordance with VGVerteidigungsgeräte 95211, and the approved components are included in the VGVerteidigungsgeräte 95212 database.

The list of approved components according to VGVerteidigungsgeräte 95212 and a help file are available for download here:

VGVerteidigungsgeräte 95212 List of Approved Components (Date: 2025-04) (ZIP, 9.2 MB)

Help File for VGVerteidigungsgeräte 95212 List of Approved Components (PDF, 104.4 KB)

Should you have any questions, please contact the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support, Branch T1.3 via email.

Approved products and manufacturers of hoses, hose assemblies and compensators

For daily updates on approvals, please contact Bundeswehr Technical Center 41 (WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 41), Branch 410 “Mechanized Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Engineer Construction Equipment and Auxiliary Equipment, Soil Mechanics, and Hydraulics” via email

A shared specialized terminology, which includes the standardized and binding terms and definitions used in a specialist field, is an essential prerequisite for partners to be able to decide and act jointly.

As part of this necessary standardization process, Bundeswehr terminology committees are developing a specialized terminology for the Bundeswehr in one or several languages. The Federal Office of Languages provides advice on matters of terminology and supports these committees in their work in a professional manner.

BAAINBwBundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr is actively involved in developing the specialized terminology used in the Bundeswehr. This terminology is also available offline as an Access data base so that outsiders can look up the entire Bundeswehr terminology with its definitions, synonyms, abbreviations and foreign language equivalents.
For more information, please refer to the website of the Bundeswehr Office for Defense Planning.
You can reach the competent coordination center via email.