https://www.newsweek.com/germany-cant-explain-use-broomstick...
In 2017 the German navy had zero operational submarines. They were all broken.
https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2017/10/20/all-of-germanys...
In 2018 the German air Force had only 4 Eurofighters combat ready.
https://www.dw.com/en/only-4-of-germanys-128-eurofighter-jet...
Hopefully the situation has improved since then?
This is ignoring the labor costs and other costs differences between Russia and Germany. A euro goes a heck of a lot further in Russia and pays quite a few more soldier salaries.
And also for all that money even at cheaper wages, Russia military is embarrassing and appears to be in a state of poor maintenance. It’s only mighty due to callousness towards civilians and willingness to be a meat grinder if its own people.
I am pretty sure anyone expressing these worries outside of Germany is either a troll, completely ignorant or a combination of the two.
I'd like militaries to look a bit more at effectiveness, at having a military that they can actually use, and that is well suited for the kind of missions they're likely to use them for, and not merely at size and money.
What has it gotten us? A completely dysfunctional army with almost no working equipment. The part that is working is in large part outdated. As the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany pointed out, the Ukrainians have already destroyed more Russian tanks and armored vehicles and jets than the whole Bundeswehr currently has in working condition.
Just as in many Western militaries, the procurement is so f*ked up that most of the money is spent on the development of new weapon systems so at the end of the day, no money seems to be left to actually buy any. The US seems to compensate by just spending even more money. Germany just didn't buy anything and the soldiers are driving around in Wolfs (G wagons! Sans the louis vuitton leather seats, though) from the 70s and can hardly keep more than a handful of their jets in flying condition.