Germany to invest €10 billion in civil protection upgrades by 2029
Photo: Germany plans to strengthen civilian protection (Getty Images)
Germany plans to invest €10 billion in modernizing civil protection and alert systems by 2029. The program includes the installation of sirens and new shelters, Reuters reports.
Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt said the government aims to strengthen civil defense and emergency management by 2029.
"We are upgrading our civil protection," he said.
The plans come amid rising geopolitical tensions and growing threats from extremism and hybrid attacks, which could target power grids or involve disinformation campaigns.
The civil protection initiative calls for:
- Sirens to alert the population;
- Digital alert systems for mobile phones;
- New shelters;
- About 1,500 vehicles for fire services, emergency medical teams, mobile command centers, and heavy equipment.
Reuters notes the program also includes disaster drills involving the military, rescue services, the Federal Agency for Technical Relief, and humanitarian organizations.
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Germany decided to modernize its public shelter system. Currently, the country has 579 shelters for approximately 480,000 people, many of which have remained unused since the Cold War.
This summer, Germany announced plans to expand its bomb shelter network rapidly. The move reflects growing concerns that a war with Russia could erupt in the coming years.
Earlier, Germany accelerated arms purchases to rearm its military amid fears of conflict with Russia fully. Annette Lehnigk-Emden, head of the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support, said the country has just three years to complete the process.
