During the Cold War, Germany was considered a battleground between East and West, but today it is seen as NATO's logistical hub in Europe. In the event of a crisis or alliance, up to 800,000 soldiers would have to be deployed through Germany within six months and supplied with provisions. Germany's role as a logistical hub requires considerable resources, effective logistics, and strategic digital coordination of all stakeholders.

However, the German Armed Forces do not have to shoulder this task alone: one possible solution is a digital, systematic, and data-driven partnership with the private sector. A study by the management and IT consultancy MHP, the zNT at Quadriga University Berlin, and the German Armed Forces' in-house consultancy BwConsulting GmbH shows what such cooperation could look like and why private-sector-military cooperation is indispensable. The focus here is on creating a digital platform for the transparent and coordinated linking of private-sector supply capacities with military requirements.

Henning Schulze, partner at MHP: "MHP brings many years of experience from the automotive and manufacturing industries. These industries show how resilience, efficiency, and controllability can be achieved. This knowledge is crucial for our country's defense capabilities. The study illustrates how this potential can be put to practical use, for example through digital twins and simulations.“

Michael Rogasch, Managing Director of BwConsulting: ”The study provides an example of how OPLAN Germany could be operationalized and its implementation advanced. It also demonstrates the substantial added value of our Comprehensive Defense framework: The framework provides a functional framework for the concept of integrated security from the National Security Strategy, thus creating an implementation-oriented understanding of national and societal defense.“

Prof. Dr. Torsten Oltmanns, Managing Partner of zNT: ”Defense capability does not come about through equipment alone, but through cooperation and trust between the state, the economy, and society."

The study makes it clear that Germany's defense capability is significantly influenced by cooperation with the private sector. A joint digital platform can systematically link military needs and private sector capabilities for the first time, thereby creating speed, transparency, and reliability in supply. The task now is to transfer proven concepts and permanently anchor private-sector-military cooperation. According to the study, the capabilities of the private sector are not an option, but a necessity.

Video