BERLIN, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Germany on Wednesday released a comprehensive new military strategy, outlining plans to expand its armed forces and transform the Bundeswehr into the strongest conventional army in Europe.
Germany will assume greater conventional and strategic responsibility for Europe, said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in the document's foreword, adding that this will increase Germany's strategic weight for its allies.
The strategy sets a target to establish a total force of 460,000 troops by 2035, consisting of 260,000 active-duty soldiers and a reserve force of 200,000.
The document said the buildup of the Bundeswehr will be executed in three phases, including maximizing immediate defense, achieving structured capability growth to fulfill NATO targets, and transitioning into technologically superior and innovative armed forces. ■