Operation Plan Germany, or OPLAN DEU for short, is the central military planning document for the defence of Germany. It describes how the Bundeswehr carries out its tasks at home and how military measures are linked with the necessary support from public authorities, federal states, local authorities, businesses and allies.
A key focus is Germany’s role as a hub for NATO: in a crisis or conflict, German and allied forces must be received, supplied and moved through Germany to their areas of operation. This requires, among other things, functioning transport routes, energy supply, communications, logistics and medical capacity.
OPLAN DEU is therefore not a purely military plan. It is the military contribution to Germany’s total defence and assumes that the state, the economy and society remain able to act even under heavy strain.
Why does OPLAN DEU exist?
After the end of the Cold War, the Bundeswehr focused for many years mainly on international missions. Preparation for national and collective defence lost importance.
With the changed security situation in Europe, the defence of NATO territory moved back into focus. Russia’s attack on Ukraine since 2022 in particular has shown that military deterrence, civil preparedness and resilient infrastructure must once again be planned together.
Since March 2023, OPLAN DEU has been developed as the military part of a comprehensive defence strategy, initially by the Bundeswehr Territorial Command. The Territorial Command has since become the Joint Operations Command (OpFüKdoBw), which now holds planning authority for OPLAN DEU.
Because of its location at the centre of Europe, Germany has a special role. In the event of collective defence it not only has to be protected itself, but is also a transit, supply and support area for allied forces. Troops, vehicles, materiel and the wounded must be moved by road, rail, port and airport. At the same time, supplies for the population and the state’s ability to act must be maintained.
OPLAN DEU brings the necessary military planning together in a common operational framework. As part of NATO planning, the deployment of up to 850,000 soldiers to the eastern flank within 180 days is being prepared – before the first shot is fired.
Who is involved in OPLAN DEU?
Military responsibility for Operation Plan Germany lies with the Bundeswehr Joint Operations Command. It plans and coordinates military tasks at home and aligns them with the bodies involved. However, the plan can only be implemented through the interaction of many actors.
Bundeswehr & NATO
Military planning, command and coordination. This includes in particular preparing for national and collective defence and supporting allied forces in Germany.
What does OPLAN DEU cover?
The plan describes procedures, responsibilities and processes for different security situations. It is intended to enable the Bundeswehr to act quickly, in a coordinated way and lawfully once a political decision has been taken. The aim is to maintain command capability at home: in the event of a threat, the Joint Operations Command coordinates military and civilian measures across Germany – always on the basis of a political decision.
Its main tasks include:
- the operational readiness and deployment of German forces at home,
- receiving and supporting allied forces,
- coordinating military movements through Germany,
- supplying troops with fuel, materiel, food and medical services,
- protecting and maintaining militarily necessary command and support structures,
- coordination with NATO partners, federal and state authorities and civilian organisations,
- integrating the civilian services on which military operations depend.
An important element is what is known as Host Nation Support. This refers to the support Germany provides to allied forces when they enter, stay in and transit the country. It can include accommodation, transport coordination, refuelling, maintenance, catering and medical care.
OPLAN DEU also takes into account that military deployments may not take place under undisturbed conditions. Cyberattacks, sabotage, disinformation and failures of energy, communications or transport can occur even before open hostilities. That is why resilience, redundancy, emergency operations and recovery planning play a central role.
What does OPLAN DEU mean for civil society?
OPLAN DEU shows how heavily military defence capability depends on civilian services. The planning aims at effective cooperation in a crisis – through clear responsibilities, structured communication and joint exercises.
Without electricity, communication networks, transport systems, hospitals and water supply work only to a limited extent. Without transport routes, neither military forces nor food, medicines or spare parts can be transported reliably. Without telecommunications, warnings, situation reports and decision-making channels are missing.
Civilian infrastructure thus becomes an important prerequisite for defence capability. Even so, protecting this critical infrastructure is not automatically a task for the Bundeswehr. Operators and the responsible civilian authorities remain fundamentally responsible for preparedness, protection, emergency operations and recovery. Military forces cannot guard every facility or make up for a lack of civil preparedness.
What is public – and what remains secret?
For reasons of national security, the full Operation Plan Germany is not publicly available. Specific operational details on forces, routes, timelines, capabilities and protective measures could give a potential adversary an advantage.
What is publicly known is therefore mainly:
- the purpose and basic objectives of the plan,
- the responsible structures,
- Germany’s role as a NATO hub,
- the importance of Host Nation Support,
- the dependence on civilian infrastructure,
- the necessary cooperation between the Bundeswehr, the state, business and society.
OPLAN DEU is regularly reviewed, tested in exercises and adapted to changing threats and capabilities. It is therefore not a document that is finished once, but an ongoing planning process.
In November 2024 a stress test lasting several days was carried out with the participation of civilian and military bodies. The aim was to test interfaces, procedures and coordination mechanisms under real conditions and to develop the plan further dynamically.
- First version of the plan: March 2024
- Second iteration (planned): by March 2025
- Focus of further development: stronger involvement of business, local authorities and state administrations
Common misconceptions
Is OPLAN DEU a war plan?
OPLAN DEU prepares military and state action for severe crises and a possible conflict. At the same time, its purpose is deterrence: credible defence capability is meant to help ensure that an attack never happens in the first place.
A more accurate description is therefore defence and preparedness plan. The plan itself does not trigger any military measures. That requires political decisions and the relevant legal conditions.
Does OPLAN DEU cover all of civil defence?
No. OPLAN DEU is the military contribution to total defence and describes the civil-military links this requires.
Civil defence also has its own tasks and plans, such as civil protection, maintaining state functions and supplying the population. These areas have their own responsibilities and legal bases.
Does a NATO collective defence case automatically mean a German state of defence?
No. NATO’s collective defence case and the state of defence under the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) are different legal and political processes.
The collective defence case concerns NATO’s mutual assistance obligation. The German state of defence is a special constitutional situation whose conditions and determination are set out in the Basic Law.
Does the Bundeswehr take over the protection of all critical infrastructure in a crisis?
No. Responsibility for operating and protecting critical infrastructure continues to lie mainly with the operators and the responsible civilian authorities.
The Bundeswehr must deploy its forces primarily for military tasks. That is why operational security measures, redundancy, emergency plans and functioning civilian hazard prevention are indispensable.
Do businesses and local authorities become part of the Bundeswehr in the event of collective defence?
No. Civilian actors retain their own role and their statutory responsibilities. They do not automatically come under military command.
However, OPLAN DEU assumes that agreed civilian services are available and that cooperation with military bodies has been prepared and practised.
Does OPLAN DEU also affect the general public?
No, the plan is aimed at military and state structures. However, its implementation depends on the population being informed, prepared and able to cope even during temporary supply outages.
Personal preparedness does not replace the state’s responsibility. But it buys time and relieves relief and emergency services so they can take on particularly urgent tasks.
