The 183,000-strong Bundeswehr (German for "Federal Defence Force") was established in 1955 when the Federal Republic of Germany was being welcomed as a NATO member. The Bundeswehr today consists of the three Services Army, Air Force and Navy and the two organizational areas Joint Support Service (JSS) as service provider and the Joint Medical Service (JMS) as a provider of medical care. Together, they provide the forces required to ensure Germany's political capacity to react fast at any time in different areas of operation. In addition, about 10,000 service members are on standby for international conflict prevention and crisis management. 

Today, Germany is contributing some 4,700 personnel for ongoing operations for whom the security architecture of NATO, the EU, the United Nations (UN) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) form the frame.

Germany hosts several NATO facilities, such as Headquarters Rapid Deployable German-Netherlands-Corps in Münster and the Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) in Uedem whose primary peacetime role is the tactical Command and Control of Quick- Reaction Alert Forces used to police NATO airspace above the Benelux countries, above Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Baltic States.

Germany also hosts the Reaction Forces (Air) Staff in Kalkar, the Headquarters Allied Air Command in Ramstein and the NATO School in Oberammergau which teaches 85 different courses to over 10,000 students each year, covering topics ranging from weapons employment to orientation to NATO. The Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Main Operation Base and the Strategic Air Lift Interim Solution (SALIS) are also hosted by Germany in Geilenkirchen and Leipzig, respectively.