Christian Freuding, 55, is a lieutenant general in the Bundeswehr and an army inspector. Previously, he headed the Ukraine situation center in the Ministry of Defense, and later the planning and command staff. Freuding is seen as the successor to Inspector General Carsten Breuer, who will take up the post of chairman of the NATO military committee next year.
WORLD: Lieutenant General, you have been following the military situation in Ukraine and technological progress on the battlefield very closely for years. Do you have the impression that Germany and the Bundeswehr can keep up with this technological development?
Christian Freuding: My impression is that we are currently catching up at top speed. This year we also placed unmanned systems at the center of our research and experiments in the Land experimental series. The Minister of Defense has decided that we will set up an independent UXS regiment, i.e. an independent regiment with unmanned systems in the army. This will come into force next year and lead to initial operational qualification.
Of course, we will also make use of the experiences that our Ukrainian partners have. We are in close contact. We will intensify this even further and then, I believe, we are well on the way to integrating these capabilities into the way we conduct land warfare.
WORLD: The Bundeswehr is setting up a drone regiment. In the USA, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has just announced that he will create a so-called Autonomous Warfare Command - autonomous warfare will become a central pillar of the US military. Are you worried that Germany might be baking too small a roll?
Freuding: No, I don't think we bake rolls that are too small. I don't know the exact plans of the American partners; We do not yet have precise information. It is important to us that we pursue this two-way path in the Army, i.e. that we integrate unmanned systems deeply into our units on the one hand and that we also deploy them independently at the division level on the other. These are two different ways in which we can act in unmanned combat in land warfare. I am very happy and look forward to the task that we are now pursuing both options for action; and I consider both to be promising.
WORLD: If you look at land warfare in Ukraine: The Third Army Corps carried out a very successful operation there for weeks, Operation Vivaldi. What does Germany and NATO have to learn from this type of land warfare?
Freuding: Of course, as we have done over the last few years, we can learn a lot. It confirms my firm belief that through the interaction of manned and unmanned systems, through the interaction of different capabilities and types of weapons, two things are possible: On the one hand, mobile warfare is feasible again - on the other hand, it shows that decisive, meticulously prepared operations with high impact are still possible. We are getting out of this rigid positional warfare that we have experienced over the last two to three years - by integrating technology well and using it in a practical way.
We will work very intensively on this operation, you can be sure of that. And this will also guide us when we now establish the new operational guidelines for land warfare in the Army and when we then develop the operational principles for the new regiment of unmanned systems.
WORLD: In the past, you have repeatedly warned that Germany must be faster when it comes to war capability and military capability. Which areas still give you sleepless nights?
Freuding: In the army we have defined a total of five areas of action where we need to become faster in skill development. And there is no doubt that we have some catching up to do. First of all, this is the area of indirect effect…
WORLD: So attacking targets from a greater distance without visual contact...
Freuding: Exactly. Secondly, there is the defense against threats, especially from the airspace close to the ground - in technical jargon, Counter-AUS - i.e. defensive measures against drones. In addition, there is electronic warfare in all military units. In general, we need to step up our pace when it comes to all types of unmanned systems – whether on the ground or in the air. And finally, and this is immensely important: digital leadership capability, supported by AI. We must be able to link all fields of action and tie them together.
We have a lot of catching up to do in all of the areas mentioned, and as an Army inspector, I can't move fast enough.
WELT: Mr. General, you also see the political development in Germany - and there are voices that say: We must focus more on negotiations, not on arming the Bundeswehr. Do you have the impression that the population in Germany actually perceives a threat from Russia - or that the sense of threat is diminishing?
Freuding: I think the danger has already arrived. If you look at surveys and opinion polls, the threat from Russia is definitely present. And my impression is that the strategic culture in Germany is also changing. In Germany we are increasingly recognizing the value of freedom and also the necessity, the requirement that we must actively advocate for this freedom through military strength.
I also recognize in many conversations, in dialogue with citizens, that this is not only understood, but that we in Germany are at a point where we say: Yes, we are ready to stand up for our freedom, we are ready to take responsibility, and we need strong armed forces in order to be able to win in a military conflict. This is the prerequisite for deterrence to work.
