Germany's armed forces to introduce new camouflage uniforms by 2029
According to Hartpunkt defence news portal, all soldiers are to be equipped with the new "multi-camouflage print" by no later than 2029.
The German Ministry of Defence confirmed to military publication Augen geradeaus that it is currently working on supplying troops with updated combat gear, in line with the newly designated personnel size of 460,000 troops.
'To achieve this, we'll begin urgent procurement to quickly boost our supply of combat clothing. At the same time, we'll set up long-term contracts to ensure a steady supply and replacement of this gear, including plans for a gradual switch to the new multi-camouflage pattern. Since the process is still ongoing, we can't yet give a clear timeline or cost estimate,' the ministry stated.
The new camouflage design had previously been reserved exclusively for special forces units. The decision to roll it out across the entire Bundeswehr reportedly followed an extended internal debate.
For years, the ministry had resisted a full-scale introduction of the pattern, but now a concrete plan is in place. The phased transition is set to begin in 2026, with full implementation targeted for 2028 and 2029.
The change was brought on for tactical and security reasons. A study conducted by the Wehrwissenschaftliches Institut für Werk- und Betriebsstoffe, the research body of the German army, found that the multi-camouflage pattern provides better concealment across a range of operational environments, particularly in urban settings.
Another reason for the shift is to prevent special forces from standing out during joint operations. Until now, only elite units such as the Army's Special Forces Command (KSK) and the Navy's Special Forces Command (KSM) wore the pattern, which made them easier to identify in the field.
The pattern is considered highly adaptable, especially given climate-related changes to natural landscapes and recent battlefield experience, including Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
6 hours ago
- LeMonde
Bosnian Serb President Dodik formally ousted after being given one-year jail term
Bosnia's electoral commission said Wednesday, August 6 that the Bosnian Serb entity president, Milorad Dodik, had been formally stripped of his post after he was sentenced to a one-year jail term. The Republika Srpska president was given the prison sentence and banned from public office for six years after being found guilty of flouting the rulings of the international envoy who monitors the peace accords that ended the country's 1990 war. The electoral body decided to apply the law, which lays down that an elected official is automatically forced out of office if sentenced to more than six months in jail, commission member Suad Arnautovic told reporters. He added though that an appeal can still be made to the Bosnian State Court. Dodik's lawyer, Goran Bubic, has already said that new legal action would be taken after the appeal court verdict. The 66-year-old Dodik, who has headed the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska since 2006, had condemned last Friday's appeal court verdict as a "political" trial and a "blow" to the Serb entity "orchestrated by the European Union." Bosnia has been divided between the Serb and Bosnian-Croat entities since the 1992-95 war that left tens of thousands dead. It is bound together by weak central institutions. Dodik, 66, was prosecuted for passing two laws in 2023 that banned the application in the Serb entity of decisions by the international high representative and Bosnia's federal constitutional court. Dodik rejects the authority of the international representative, currently Christian Schmidt, who started in 2021. Dodik says the former German minister is "illegal" as his nomination has not been approved by the UN Security Council.
Euronews
14 hours ago
- Euronews
German government urged to start proper supervision of AI
ADVERTISEMENT German consumer groups and regulators have called upon the government to formally appoint a national authority to begin oversight of artificial intelligence providers. Germany missed the EU deadline of 2 August to notify the European Commission which market surveillance authorities it has appointed to oversee business compliance with the AI Act. The local regulators once appointed will then keep an eye on local providers of AI systems, ensuring they follow the Act. The Hamburg data protection commissioner, Thomas Fuchs, called on the federal government to quickly designate the AI market surveillance authorities – which in some areas also include the data protection supervisory authorities. "Due to the delay, companies and authorities are now missing their binding contact person for questions about the AI regulation. This is also a disadvantage for Germany as a location for AI innovation," Fuchs said. These concerns were echoed by Lina Ehrig, head of digital at the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (VZBV). Without supervision, companies could use AI to manipulate consumers or exploit individual weaknesses, for example via real-time voice analysis in call centres, VZBV warned. 'There needs to be a supervisory authority that keeps an eye on this and acts against violations. That hasn't happened so far," says Ehrig. According to a Commission official, some of the 27 EU member states have sent notifications about the appointments – which are now under consideration – however, it seems that most member states have missed the deadline. Euronews reported in May that with just three months to go until the early August deadline, it remained unclear in at least half of the member states which authority will be nominated. Despite the lack of national regulation, the Hamburg data watchdog said it started building capability and training personnel for the complex tests of AI systems to be ready for the moment of legal designation. The regulator earlier this year asked Meta questions about its AI tools. The AI Act entered into force in August 2024, but the provisions start to apply gradually. This month, national authorities need to be appointed, and rules on general purpose providers – such as ChatGPT, Claud AI and Gemini – start to apply.
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
EU Commission 'surprised' by German minister's jibe on trade deal
The European Commission said on Tuesday it was surprised by comments German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil in which he highlighted the EU's weakness in the ongoing tariff talks, despite Germany having been fully briefed ahead of the agreement reached on July 27 by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump. 'It is most surprising to us,' Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said, adding: 'Nothing has happened here in terms of the Commission's approach, negotiation or outcome achieved without the clear signal received from our member states.' Klingbeil said on Monday, ahead of his meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant in Washington DC, that EU representatives 'have shown weakness' during trade negotiations with the US. 'Overall, as Europeans, we must become stronger," Klingbeil insisted, "then we can also stand up to the US with more self-confidence. Not against the US, but in dialogue with the US.' Germany 'had been fully briefed on the details of the agreement at a political level', Commission Deputy Spokesperson Arianna Podestà added on Tuesday. Since the announcement of the EU-US tariff agreement on July 27, the Commission has maintained that the deal represents the least bad option, allowing the EU to avoid a further escalation in the transatlantic trade dispute. However, the details of the agreement are still under negotiation, just days after a US Executive Order set tariffs at 15%. Germany, in particular, continues to see its automotive industry heavily impacted by 25% US tariffs — contrary to the political deal, which aimed to reduce them to 15%. Negotiations also continue on which products may be eligible for exemptions. 'We fight for every product and every industry,' a senior EU official said, adding: 'We're really trying to get as many products into the list of exemptions.' A joint EU-US statement is expected to be released soon, aiming to reinforce the political commitments made on both sides of the Atlantic. Under the current framework, the US has agreed to apply a 15% tariff on EU goods, while the EU has committed to purchasing US energy and investing in the United States.
