According to foreign media reports, against the backdrop of continuous changes in regional security situation, Germany is accelerating its military construction pace. Recently, a multi billion euro equipment procurement plan in Germany has attracted attention from the outside world. This plan covers the procurement of 1000 Boxer wheeled armored vehicles, 600 Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks, and a large number of Cougar infantry fighting vehicles. It is a large-scale military update plan for Germany since the end of the Cold War, reflecting Germany's re examination and adjustment of military strategy. For a long time, influenced by the lessons of 20th century history, Germany's defense strategy has focused on military restraint and multilateralism, and the tasks of the Federal Armed Forces have also leaned towards international peacekeeping and military crisis management, rather than large-scale, high-intensity combat. In recent years, Germany's assessment of the security environment has changed, believing that there is an increased possibility of armed conflict on the ground and urgent measures need to be taken to address it. In March of this year, the German Ministry of Defense released the annual report of the Federal Armed Forces, stating that the German Army needs to complete forward deployment within 48 hours and have sustained combat capabilities. However, there is a significant gap between the current situation of the German Army and this goal. According to reports, only 30% of the 313 active main battle tanks in the German Army have been modernized; Among infantry fighting vehicles, nearly 4 have become outdated models of the "Madel" series designed in the 1970s. At the same time, the lagging digitalization level of the logistics system has led to a long-term low equipment readiness rate, and insufficient staffing has left multiple combat units in an incomplete organizational structure and below standard combat effectiveness. This situation has prompted Germany to rethink the development positioning of its army. To accelerate the transformation of the army, Germany has launched a large-scale procurement plan. Among them, 600 Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks are the key to transformation. This model is upgraded on the basis of the Leopard 2A7V and equipped with the "Trophy" active protection system to intercept anti tank weapons and enhance the survivability of complex battlefields. The third-generation thermal imaging system, enhanced composite armor, and digital combat management system it adopts surpass the current similar equipment of the German Army in terms of situational awareness, lethality, and network coordination capabilities. The "cougar" infantry fighting vehicle is responsible for assisting heavy troops in combat tasks and has strong protective capabilities. The vehicle is equipped with high-performance additional armor in key areas, which can resist attacks from anti tank weapons, medium caliber weapons, improvised explosive devices, landmines weighing over 10 kilograms, and small bombs. Its remote-controlled turret is equipped with a 30mm machine gun with a firing rate of 200 rounds per minute, capable of launching armor piercing and airburst shells to strike various types of targets within 3000 meters, and can cooperate with the Leopard 2 series main battle tanks for combat. The Boxer wheeled armored vehicle is the core equipment of medium-sized mechanized units, adopting a modular design that can perform various tasks such as infantry transportation, command and control, battlefield rescue, etc. by replacing task modules. Germany believes that the flexibility and high mobility brought by this design can meet the needs of its rapid response forces and forward deployment. According to reports, after the installation of new equipment, the combat effectiveness of the German Army will be significantly improved. By forming a heavy brigade centered around the Leopard 2A8 main battle tank and the Cougar infantry fighting vehicle, as well as a rapid reaction force primarily equipped with the Boxer wheeled armored vehicle, the German Army's structure may become more balanced, capable of carrying out high-intensity battlefield attack and defense tasks as well as rapidly deploying mobile combat tasks. At the same time, the improvement of digitalization and networking level will promote the transformation of the German Army's combat mode from independent operation of various equipment platforms to multi platform linkage and coordination, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of joint operations. In addition, if the German 45th Armored Brigade permanently deployed in Lithuania receives equipment replenishment, it may transform from a symbolic presence to a forward combat force with immediate response capabilities. Faced with many challenges, some analysts believe that Germany's large-scale procurement plan faces many challenges. On the one hand, there are difficulties in balancing domestic finances. In March of this year, Germany revised the "debt brake" clause in its Basic Law, establishing a 400 billion euro defense fund and allowing for unlimited military spending. Continuously increasing defense investment will inevitably squeeze out investment in other public sectors such as education and healthcare, which may trigger domestic conflicts. Moreover, there is significant uncertainty about whether high-level defense investment can be sustained in the long term. On the other hand, the production capacity of the defense industry is facing challenges. In the decades following the end of the Cold War, Germany and the entire European defense industry chain gradually adapted to low-speed, small batch production modes. Producing hundreds of main battle tanks and thousands of armored vehicles in a short period of time not only tests the production capacity of major contractors such as Rheinmetall, but also puts pressure on a large number of subcontractors. In addition, European defense industry production is highly dependent on the global supply chain and has weak risk resistance capabilities. Any problem in any link may lead to production delays. (New Society)