Kay Scheller, the president of Germany’s Federal Court of Auditors, sharply criticized the procurement system of the Bundeswehr. He explained that while the structures were initially introduced to stop money from “leaking” over time they have fostered what he calls a “system of organized irresponsibility”. “Everyone is double‑checking one another over and over again” Scheller told the newspaper “Welt am Sonntag”. “We can no longer afford that”.
According to Scheller, the office is overcrowded with too many actors. “The urgent task is to dial down complexity” he said. “We must give experts the authority to make decisions and speed up the decision‑making process”. As the armed forces are rapidly adapting to the demands of future battlefields, Scheller urged swift, yet economical procurement. “We don’t have years to analyze every requirement” he added. “We need to cut complexity, increase speed, and retain rigorous control mechanisms-something that is still achievable”.
