German special forces are overhauling their training to prepare for a potential war with Russia, military commander Brigadier General Andreas Kühne has revealed.
The German Special Forces Command, known as the KSK, decided to refocus its training on a potential conflict with Moscow, German newspaper Bild reported, citing Kühne. He told reporters that special forces missions were previously planned to last about three days before soldiers returned to base, but troops will now have to remain in field conditions for much longer.
In the event of war with Russia, German special forces are expected to deploy earlier than the main forces of the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces. Kühne said the KSK plans to complete its tasks before the 45th Panzer Brigade, stationed in Lithuania on the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, enters combat.
Preparation for high intensity combat
To prepare for such an encounter, the KSK is training to fight an adversary equipped with heavy weaponry, including tanks, artillery, drones and electronic warfare capabilities. Soldiers are also drilling to operate in extreme cold weather and preparing for missions along NATO's eastern border.
Germany has already demonstrated the capabilities of its special forces during exercises in the Baltic states, Kühne stated. He said those maneuvers were intended to show Russia that an attack on NATO would result in huge losses for Moscow, telling journalists that Russian President Vladimir Putin knows their combat power.
The KSK, based in Calw in southwestern Germany and known for elite reconnaissance and counterterrorism, maintains strict standards. Bild reported that staffing levels at the unit stand at 70 to 80 percent, with just over 15 percent of candidates passing the selection process.
NATO defense targets for 2029
The shift in training comes as the wider alliance assesses its readiness. Politico previously reported that NATO is opening talks on the forces and weapons member states will need to defend against a potential Russian attack.
Those talks will set defense capability targets for 2029, after European officials warned that Russia could be ready to attack a NATO country by that date.
The most critical issue will be determining what volume of troops and military capabilities allies are ready to provide. European officials also fear that the United States could withdraw assets critical to Europe, prompting negotiators to explore assigning member nations operational tasks rather than requiring specific weapons.
