General Huber: “We are really needed here.”

Germany will deploy a brigade in Lithuania capable of defending this country and fighting a war, says Brigadier General Christoph Huber. In an interview with the Bundeswehr Editorial Service, the future commander explains about the significance of the brigade and the next steps on the road to permanent deployment.

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General, how optimistic are you about finding enough personnel willing to join the brigade?

Eventually, Germany will deploy a warfighting-capable brigade here in Lithuania that is truly able to immediately defend this country as part of Division 2025, and thus as part of NATO, if necessary.

So far, there has been a lot of positive feedback in terms of the personnel question. The activation staff is made up entirely of volunteers. We have so many volunteers even now that we can be very confident, in my opinion, that we will be able to staff the units deployed next year from that pool. And we will adopt comprehensive additional measures with the “Zeitenwende” omnibus act that will have further positive effects. I believe that our troops have accepted this mission.

Firing ranges, barracks, accommodation for exercising troops – the build-up of the brigade goes hand in hand with setting up the infrastructure. Will Lithuania be able to deliver on time?

The Lithuanians deserve great respect and gratitude, because they are making every effort to accommodate all our capabilities and forces in Lithuania. These infrastructure measures that Lithuania is pulling off – they are unparalleled. This is infrastructure for some 5000 troops as well as civilian personnel that we are talking about. Then there is the infrastructure for the families, and all of this is constructed and made available to us by Lithuania. 

The provision of this infrastructure is clearly a priority of Lithuania’s political and military leadership, but also has considerable backing in civil society. Germany’s Brigade in Lithuania is enormously popular, because we are needed here.

In 2025, we will deploy, among other units, the signals company as well as the headquarters and support company to Nemenčinė and Rokantiškės. This will enable the Brigade to achieve command and control as well as exercise capability in 2025 as scheduled. This is an important prerequisite for the further build-up of the Brigade and thus for its warfighting capability.

Does the Brigade in Lithuania have sufficient materiel to fight a war? 

There are clear regulations that unequivocally state that 45 Armoured Brigade will receive everything it needs to fulfil its mission.

Is it of any special relevance to your new position that you were the first commander of the eFPenhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Lithuania?

My experience from back then is helpful, of course, as well as from my other assignments such as at NATO Headquarters. What is most important, however, is the team. I was able to count on my team when I was with the armoured infantry in Oberviechtach, and I can count on my team now. The members of the new 45 Armoured Brigade are highly professional and know their jobs. They are excellent men and women who have dedicated themselves to making this Brigade fit for Lithuania and ready to fight. Shoulder to shoulder with our Lithuanian and other Allies, we will defend NATO’s eastern flank here in Lithuania, should it become necessary. We will be serving Germany and defending our own country, of that I am convinced. That has been my view since 2017 and it has not changed since, quite the opposite.

Why do you feel such a strong kinship with Lithuania?

Back in 2017, I and my fellow servicemen and women had a very challenging time. But at the same time, we had a sense of really being needed here. Our mission was important, to defend Lithuania and thus NATO’s eastern flank. And this mission has not changed, it has become even more important today given Russia’s horrible war of aggression against Ukraine. War has returned to Europe, the security situation has changed, NATO and, by extension, Germany, have responded. We are really needed here in Lithuania, we can see that every day. This sense of being needed is important for the entire team of 45 Armoured Brigade. Our task is meaningful and clearly defined, we know why we are here.

The multinational eFPenhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup will become part of 45 Armoured Brigade. What is cooperation like in this context between Germany and its partner nations?

The German-Lithuanian roadmap stipulates that the eFPenhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup will be integrated into, that is, placed under the command of 45 Armoured Brigade in 2026. This plan is still valid. We will continue to coordinate the next steps closely with our Lithuanian friends and partners, but also with Oslo and The Hague, that is, with Norway and the Netherlands. We work hand in hand here.

45 Armoured Brigade will be equipped with Puma infantry fighting vehicles. How important is that for the Brigade’s operational readiness?

I myself am a trained Puma IFV commander; I underwent retraining back when I was in Oberviechtach. And of course the battalion will take this state-of-the-art IFV to Lithuania! We are an armoured brigade and that means we are one of the heavy mechanised brigades in the German Army. For our task, we will therefore be equipped with the Army's latest generation of major weapon systems. This includes Puma IFVs, but also Leopard 2A8 MBTs. These will be complemented by other important elements of combat, combat service and CISCommunication and Information Systems support, such as the PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer and a comprehensive capability mix. 45 Armoured Brigade will accomplish its mission.