US Army to boost strength in Germany by 1,500 troops
The US Army said on 7 September that it would deploy an additional 1,500 troops in Germany, despite US President Donald Trump's repeated complaints that the NATO partner is spending too little on joint defence.
The troops will be deployed by September 2020 – adding to more than 33,000 US troops already there – said US Army Europe, which called it ‘a display of our continued commitment to NATO and our collective resolve to support European security.’
US Ambassador Richard Grenell said that ‘Americans are committed to strengthening the transatlantic alliance and President Trump's promise to increase US defence capabilities means the alliance is stronger today.’
German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen called the new deployments ‘a welcome sign of the vitality of transatlantic relations’ and ‘a commitment to common security.’
Trump has long complained that European NATO members do not pay enough for their own defence, singling out Germany for particular criticism.
At a NATO summit in July 2018, Trump called Germany ‘a captive of Russia’ because of its energy links and a major new gas pipeline project in the works.
NATO allies agreed at a summit in Wales in 2014 to move towards spending 2% of GDP on defence by 2024. But Germany, Europe's biggest economy, spends just 1.2%, compared with 3.5% for the US.
The US Army Europe statement said the force structure change was a result of a wider 2017 directive to build up the ranks.
It said in a statement: ‘As the US Army grows, a significant portion of that growth will take place in Europe as the mission to defend NATO allies and deter aggression continues to be a priority.’
More from Defence Notes
-
![How Canada plans to “seize” the opportunity to increase investments in defence]()
How Canada plans to “seize” the opportunity to increase investments in defence
The Canadian Department of National Defence has been increasing efforts to accelerate the acquisition of new equipment and modernise its in-service inventory.
-
![Palantir and Boeing partner up to bring AI to defence manufacturing]()
Palantir and Boeing partner up to bring AI to defence manufacturing
The partnership with the US airframer will see Palantir’s AI software leveraged to help streamline data analytics across Boeing’s 12 factories on defence and classified programmes.
-
![DroneShield to double its US footprint to meet growing demand for counter-UxS capabilities]()
DroneShield to double its US footprint to meet growing demand for counter-UxS capabilities
DroneShield disclosed to Shephard its plans to increase its workforce and manufacturing capacities while strengthening partnerships with US suppliers.
-
![Singapore’s DSTA seeks wider partnerships to advance robotics and AI capabilities]()
Singapore’s DSTA seeks wider partnerships to advance robotics and AI capabilities
The technology organisation is expecting a significant rise in the number of staff working across robotics and digital solutions as it becomes more of a focal point.
-
![Modular and attritable equipment must be a priority: US military]()
Modular and attritable equipment must be a priority: US military
Senior officers and representatives from the US Army, US Air Force and US Navy emphasised the need to expedite acquisition projects for systems and platforms that are more modular. They also highlighted that the loss of equipment is acceptable.
