Bundeswehr Personnel Strength: Full Military & Civilian Force Structure (Updated 2026)
184,194 military, 81,958 civilian — complete Bundeswehr force structure by branch, rank, gender, and service type. Official BMVg data as of December 2025. Tables included.
TL;DR:
As of 31 December 2025, the Bundeswehr comprises 184,194 military and 81,958 civilian personnel — totalling 266,152.
This represents a net increase of approximately 3,000 soldiers over the year, the highest year-end military personnel count in over a decade. Recruitment hit 25,000 new enlistments in 2025 — the best result since the suspension of conscription. Women account for more than 13% of uniformed personnel and 39% of the civilian workforce.
Bookmark this article for regular updates and full dataset access. This page is updated quarterly to reflect the Bundeswehr’s evolving personnel structure.
Bundeswehr Total Personnel
(December 2025)
| Total Personnel (December 2025) | Count |
|---|---|
| Military (Uniformed) | 184,194 |
| Civilian | 81,958 |
| Total Bundeswehr Workforce | 266,152 |
Source: Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, A II 5, Stand: 31. December 2025
Year-on-year change
The December 2025 figure of 184,194 soldiers marks a net increase of approximately 3,000 over December 2024 — the highest year-end military headcount since 2013. The growth was driven by record recruitment: roughly 25,000 new enlistments in 2025, a 23% increase over 2024 and the best intake since the suspension of conscription (Wehrpflicht) in 2011. Applications rose to approximately 107,000 (+28% year-on-year).
Civilian personnel also grew by roughly 1,160 to approximately 82,000, despite pension-heavy cohorts exiting the workforce.
The NATO summit in The Hague (June 2025) set new capability targets requiring up to 260,000 career and contract soldiers in the long term — a target the Bundeswehr aims to reach through the 2030s. The Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz (New Military Service Act), passed in December 2025, sets the 2026 target range at 186,000–190,000 active military personnel.
Force Composition by Branch and Command
| Area | Military | Civilian | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Ministry of Defence | 1,079 | 1,852 | 2,931 |
| Subordinate Commands | 3,915 | 1,614 | 5,529 |
| Army (Heer) | 63,164 | 2,555 | 65,719 |
| Air Force (Luftwaffe) | 28,492 | 4,889 | 33,381 |
| Navy (Marine) | 15,750 | 1,837 | 17,587 |
| Cyber and Information Domain (CIR) | 13,904 | 1,838 | 15,742 |
| Joint Support Service (Unterstützungsbereich) | 47,433 | 11,426 | 58,859 |
| Infrastructure, Environment, Services | 1,075 | 33,058 | 34,133 |
| Equipment, IT, and Utilisation (BAAINBw) | 1,912 | 11,744 | 13,656 |
| Personnel Management & Bundeswehr Universities | 7,470 | 10,563 | 18,033 |
| Military Chaplaincy | — | 490 | 490 |
| Legal Affairs | — | 92 | 92 |
| Total | 184,194 | 81,958 | 266,152 |
Soldier Categories: Career, Temporary, and Voluntary
Germany maintains a hybrid force model that blends long-term professional soldiers with time-limited and voluntary service members. This structure offers flexibility while ensuring a stable core of experienced personnel.
| Status | Count |
| Temporary-Career Soldiers (SaZ) | 112,578 |
| Career Soldiers (Berufssoldaten) | 59,447 |
| Voluntary Military Service (FWDL) | 12,169 |
| Voluntary Service in Homeland Defense | 223 |
The FWDL figure of 12,169 represents a 16% increase year-on-year and reflects the growing attractiveness of voluntary service as a pathway into longer military careers. The Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz will convert existing FWDL positions into "Neuer Wehrdienst" (NWD) slots from January 2026, potentially changing how this category is reported in future statistics.
Women in the Bundeswehr: Military Roles (December 2025)
Gender integration in the Bundeswehr has progressed significantly since the early 2000s. As of 2025, women make up over 13% of the military force, with the most notable representations in the medical and cyber branches.
Total Female Soldiers: 25,248
Percentage of Military Force: >13%
By Branch:
| Branch | Female Personnel |
|---|---|
| Army (Heer) | 4,990 |
| Air Force (Luftwaffe) | 2,986 |
| Navy (Marine) | 1,778 |
| Cyber & Information (CIR) | 1,433 |
| Joint Support Service | 11,718 |
| Ministry & Other Areas | 2,343 |
By Rank Group:
| Rank | Count |
|---|---|
| Officers | 7,277 |
| Senior NCOs (mit Portepee) | 8,941 |
| NCOs (ohne Portepee) | 3,3397 |
| Enlisted (Mannschaften) | 5,633 |
Women in Civilian Defense Roles (December 2025)
In the civilian segment, women hold nearly 40% of all positions across administration, engineering, IT, and procurement.
Total Female Civilian Employees: 32,192
Percentage of Civilian Workforce: ~39%
By Role:
| Employment Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Civil Servants (Beamte) | 10,583 |
| – Higher Service | 2,191 |
| – Senior Service | 4,393 |
| – Intermediate Service | 3,978 |
| – Basic Service | 21 |
| Contract Employees | 19,205 |
| Trainees & Interns | 1,990 |
Civilian women increasingly serve in leadership roles across IT, defense engineering, administration, environmental science, and procurement.
Why Bundeswehr Structure Matters in 2025
Germany's Bundeswehr is undergoing its most significant transformation since reunification under the Zeitenwende initiative, launched in 2022. The December 2025 personnel data reflects several structural shifts:
- Pivot to territorial and alliance defence. The force mix has shifted from expeditionary logistics toward integrated homeland readiness and NATO-aligned posture, including the permanent deployment of Panzerbrigade 45 "Litauen" — the first permanent German military deployment abroad since 1945.
- Record recruitment despite a tight labour market. 25,000 new enlistments in 2025 (+23% over 2024) and 56,000 military applications (+9%) signal sustained interest. The 2026 target of 186,000–190,000 active personnel under the Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz will require maintaining this momentum.
- Reserve expansion. Roughly 60,200 reservists were assigned to positions by end-2025, up from 49,200 in 2024. Approximately 21,300 reservists performed active duty during the year.
- CIR growth. The Cyber and Information Domain Service remains a priority area at nearly 14,000 uniformed personnel, reflecting investment in information warfare, electronic defence, and digital sovereignty.
- Civilian workforce under pressure. Growth of ~1,160 civilian personnel occurred against pension-heavy departures and intense competition for technical talent, particularly in IT, engineering, and procurement roles at BAAINBw.
Tracking Future Changes
This page is updated following each BMVg personnel release.
The next significant data point will be the Q1 2026 figures, which will be the first to reflect the new Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz categories.
Check Bundeswehr's official newsroom for primary‑source press releases.
FAQ: Bundeswehr Manpower, Gender Share, and CIR
How many people serve in the Bundeswehr in 2025?
As of 31 December 2025, the Bundeswehr includes 184,194 uniformed soldiers and 81,958 civilian employees — totalling 266,152 personnel.
Is the Bundeswehr growing?
Yes. The December 2025 headcount represents a net increase of ~3,000 soldiers over 2024 and the highest year-end military personnel figure in over a decade. 2025 saw approximately 25,000 new enlistments — the best recruitment result since conscription was suspended in 2011.
What is the Bundeswehr's target strength?
NATO capability targets set at The Hague summit (June 2025) imply a long-term requirement of up to 260,000 career and contract soldiers. The 2026 statutory target under the Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz is 186,000–190,000 active military personnel.
What percentage of Bundeswehr soldiers are professional career personnel?
Approximately 32% are career soldiers (Berufssoldaten: 59,447). The majority (61%) serve under time-limited contracts (SaZ: 112,578). Voluntary service members (FWDL: 12,169) account for roughly 7%.
What share of Bundeswehr personnel are women?
Women make up more than 13% of military personnel (25,248 soldiers) and approximately 39% of civilian roles (32,192 employees).
What is the CIR branch of the Bundeswehr?
The Cyber and Information Domain Service (Cyber- und Informationsraum) is responsible for cyber operations, IT security, electronic warfare, and intelligence integration — roughly 13,900 uniformed personnel as of December 2025.
What is the Wehrdienst-Modernisierungsgesetz?
Passed in December 2025, this legislation modernises Germany's military service model. It introduces the "Neuer Wehrdienst" (New Military Service) framework, initially voluntary, designed to accelerate both active force and reserve growth. The 2026 target is 186,000–190,000 active military personnel.
What is the total budget allocated for Bundeswehr personnel in 2025?
While exact personnel cost breakdowns are not public, personnel-related expenditures represent a significant portion of Germany’s €52 billion defense budget for 2025, reflecting both salary increases and expanded recruitment.
How often is this article updated?
Following each BMVg personnel data release, typically monthly.
Sources: Bundesministerium der Verteidigung (BMVg), personalzahlen-bundeswehr (Stand: 31. Dezember 2025); BMVg Personalbilanz 2025; Augen geradeaus.
Further Großwald Reading
- NATO Exercises 2025: Complete Guide to Allied Readiness
- Zeitenwende Focus Area: Germany’s Defense Pivot
- Großwald Perspectives: 100B later - Fixing the Bundeswehr wasn't on budget
About Großwald
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