The Bundeswehr is at the ready to operate worldwide, participating in national and international exercises, or fulfilling missions mandated by the German parliament. Without ammunition, spare parts or fuel, however, an army cannot fight. Within the framework of national and collective defence, operations or standby commitments, the logistics experts are in charge of transporting goods via supply chains, or setting up and operating camps and transshipment, replenishment and repair facilities.
Logisticians ensure the transport and safe storage of all types of goods and materiel. Using their organisational talent and sense of detail, they optimise supply performance. The Bundeswehr Joint Support Command specialists meet the needs of the troops – from tank engines to rubber bands. Thanks to state-of-the-art data processing systems, they are always in the picture and control the flow of materiel to determine where and how items are needed. The logistic forces do not only keep track of materiel supplies, but also ensure the safety of motor vehicle operations. Another central task of Bundeswehr logistics is maintenance and repair – during operations and beyond.
Reliable, fast and coordinated
Just one aspect of logistics: A mechanic repairing the engine of an Enok armoured vehicle in a workshop on the premises of the Materiel Storage Site of Zeithain.
Bundeswehr/Jana Neumann
At present, the service and civilian personnel working in logistic units are intensifying joint preparations for national and Alliance defence scenarios. Most of them support exercises conducted by other units from all Bundeswehr services, providing real-life support to deployments, or the construction of entire villages of living containers. In fact, the logistic forces are always in predeployment mode while effectively fulfilling their role as key enablers of the Bundeswehr within Germany.
National and Alliance defence in action
Solid expertise: The specialists are proficient in many transshipment techniques.
Bundeswehr/Carl Schulze
In addition to supplying organic forces, the logisticians support many operations, exercises and projects of allied forces hosted by Germany. Among other things, they are tasked with issuing what is referred to as “movement credits”, i.e., the permission to travel on German roads. Their responsibilities also include supplying international vehicles with POLPetrol, Oil and Lubricants products and providing technical staff to render assistance, for example during port handling operations. The large variety of logistic services shows how important the efficient coordination of processes is to ensure operational capability.
