Part of this story which is rarely told in any forum (even in Germany)....they’ve spent a decade putting just about every single weapon system (tanks, aircraft, helicopters, ships, subs, etc) into a limited operational status...mostly by marginalizing the logistical path. So when something breaks, there’s warehouse with parts there, and the item stays broke for days to weeks. If anything requirement did occur, it’s a 50-50 shot if the system could go onto the mission required, or perform to the level necessary.
I think the leadership (from all German parties) have known what they were doing and intentionally building a force which will never deploy. It’s not a recent thing...it’s at least a decade this attitude has been going on.
Fixing broken stuff is good. Building the sustainment chain is better. The Airbus A400M program makes the F-35 program look good. German news outlets went nutso when Bundeswehr A400Ms were NMC to bring troops back from Mali.
But all this wonderful gear requires people with sufficient training, disposition, and will to use it. That’s the €12 billion question — can Germany find the people, or not?
Never say “never deploy”.