Germany will establish dedicated cyber branch in military restructuring plan
The branch will carry out military actions in cyber and information space.
Germany is set to implement a significant military restructuring, with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius revealing plans to establish a central command and a specialised branch dedicated to cyberspace. Following this restructuring, the German Cyber and Information Domain Service (CIR) will transition into the fourth independent branch within the country’s armed forces.
The central command will unify the domestic and foreign deployments, providing NATO with a single point of contact. Further, the cyberspace branch will be equipped and focussed on hybrid threats such as disinformation campaigns.
As the minister shared, the Bundeswehr will need an additional 6.5 billion euros ($7.06 billion) in the 2025 budget for this Rehaul. He added that the cabinet is working to find the funds needed to fund NATO for the coming years.
The restructuring was initiated after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced changes to modernise the German military and boost defence spending to meet NATO’s target of 2% of gross domestic product following the Russian invasion.
About author
Amrita Choudhury
Ms Amrita Choudhury is Director of CCAOI; President of Internet Society India, Delhi Chapter; and Asia Pacific Lead of SIG Women. She is an active member and contributor at national, regional, and global Internet governance (IG) platforms.