Commentator Ruben Johnson of the American magazine National Security Journal argues that in any potential war with Russia, Germany’s chances of success would hinge above all on its logistics, not on abstract notions of «firepower» alone.

Citing representatives of NATO defense agencies familiar with the OPLAN DEU framework, Johnson writes that Germany’s military potential must not only be increased, but also made less vulnerable and backed by sufficient reserves to cover unforeseen threats. To achieve this, he notes, the country would have to mobilize more personnel, ramp up armaments and seek superiority over the adversary through the sheer mass of forces and equipment.

Johnson also points out that one of the key features of OPLAN DEU is a deliberate move away from what he describes as primitive «number counting» when assessing an opponent’s capabilities. The focus, he explains, is shifting from dry statistics to the overall potential and resilience of the entire system.

In this context, the commentator stresses that in a large-scale conflict, it is the logistical power of an army that ultimately secures victory. He says this is why the operational plan of the Bundeswehr for Germany is built around a core objective: making sure that allied forces do not face shortages in supplies and materiel support.

Earlier, Brandon Weichert, a columnist for the American outlet The National Interest, took a far more skeptical view of OPLAN DEU. He argued that the NATO plan, which assigns Germany a central role in a war with Russia, appears untenable. According to him, many Germans do not support the militarization of the German economy, while the current manpower of the Bundeswehr and its stock of weapons are clearly insufficient for a serious confrontation with Russia.