German army prepares plan to ready US troops to fight on Nato’s eastern front

Rishi Sunak speaks with Lt Gen Andre Bodemann during his visit to Berlin on Wednesday – HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty

German army chiefs are drawing up plans on how they would feed thousands of US soldiers and refuel their tanks as they moved towards Nato’s eastern front, as part of a secret document outlining Germany’s war readiness.

In an interview with German newspaper FAZ, Bundeswehr Lt Gen André Bodemann said the army was putting together a new, long-term security plan with an emphasis on civil defence.

Most of the planning details are a state secret, but the senior officer did disclose that part of the planning process involves logistics for feeding huge numbers of American soldiers, with the main input from civilians.

Members of a mechanised infantry unit of the Bundeswehr during an exercise in Munster – Sean Gallup/Getty

“If, for example, a US division moved towards the east, thousands of tanks, thousands of soldiers, then they would need to be fed and the tanks refuelled or possibly repaired,” he told FAZ.

“The Bundeswehr’s logistics would probably be tied up with our own soldiers on the front.

“That means we would need the maximum input from the civilian service.

“The convoy would get fuel from petrol stations or civilian vehicles, the Red Cross would provide medical care and food would come from a civilian caterer. This would be the classic case.”

His comments come as Rishi Sunak visits Berlin, where the Prime Minister said European nations must follow Britain in ramping up defence spending to guarantee the US’s continued commitment to Nato.

Gen Bodemann’s statements are the latest sign of Germany trying to make itself “kriegstüchtigteit”, or “war ready”, in the face of a potential armed conflict with Russia within the next five years.

Germany’s armed forces are stepping up their war readiness – Sean Gallup/Getty

While he did not elaborate on which eastern front Germany would be defending, Nato officials are increasingly concerned about Vladimir Putin launching an incursion on Nato’s eastern flank if his forces eventually claim victory in Ukraine.

It comes after Gen Carsten Breuer, the head of the German armed forces, told The Telegraph he had “no doubt” Germany could repel a Russian assault on the eastern flank.

“Rather, in my role as the chief of defence, it is the paramount importance of achieving the readiness of Germany’s armed forces within the next five years. We call this kriegstüchtigkeit – being ready, capable and willing to fight. We are on the right track,” Gen Breuer said in an interview in February.

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