Bundeswehr depots and materiel and ammunition storage sites are spread all across Germany ready to supply the military units as quickly as possible. The Bundeswehr applies the same cutting-edge methods for storage and provisioning as those used by major logistics companies in the private sector.
Fixed logistic facilities: this rather cumbersome term is used to denote the Bundeswehr depots and storage sites. Optimised for their respective mission, these facilities truly are centres of supply excellence. They include depots, materiel and ammunition storage sites as well as special facilities like the Materiel Management Centre for Bundeswehr Operations in Bremervörde, the POLPetrol, Oil and Lubricants depot in Utzedel, or the Bundeswehr Mechatronics Centre in Jülich. Their specially trained personnel ranges from warehouse logistics specialists to expediters to engineers in different fields, such as the management of ammunition stocks.
Important tools: The Orion V stacking truck is used to move containers.
Bundeswehr/Roland AlpersAbove and below ground, the fixed logistic depots of the Bundeswehr Joint Support Command hold materiel ranging from washers to helicopter rotor blades. Just like a mail-order company, they supply the armed forces with everything they need to accomplish their tasks. This not only involves providing supplies in times of war, but also during times of peace and for the purpose of disaster relief. There are all kinds of articles, from ammunition to laptops and sandbags. Underground tunnels house kilometres of shelves containing security-relevant materiel solely intended to be used in a state of defence. Likewise, special screws and nuts are also kept there. This is to ensure the operational and functional capability of the Bundeswehr 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
A single source of competence: The fixed logistic facilities of the Bundeswehr secure supply and transport.
Bundeswehr/Mariusz GinelFor the armed forces, it is not always possible to procure supplies at short notice or to keep them available just-in-time, as is customary in the civilian logistics industry. While supply via the logistic hub resembles that of a large corporation, other, especially military, items need to be stockpiled. Many of them require special handling and storage, which can only be ensured by qualified personnel. The issue of value retention is of particular importance in this process. Many supplies, especially vehicles, are subject to regular maintenance, or will be repaired if necessary. This is another task of the approximately 4,500 logistics specialists working for the Bundeswehr Joint Support Command at around 40 locations throughout Germany and abroad.