Germany has launched a large-scale assessment of its healthcare system\u2019s readiness for a potential military scenario in Europe. The Bundeswehr is working on the basis of a planned scenario in which between 300 and 1,000 wounded and sick servicemen could be admitted to German hospitals every day, approximately a third of whom would require intensive care. Military and civilian medical facilities are already practising evacuation procedures, handling large-scale influxes of casualties, defending against drones, and operating in conditions of power cuts and medicine shortages.<\/p>\n
How to. reports<\/a> Bloomberg<\/strong>, the German military and government bodies are assessing the healthcare system\u2019s capacity to function in the event of a major armed conflict on the territory NATO<\/a>. Germany plays a special role due to its location at the heart of Europe: the country could serve both as a major logistics hub for the deployment of troops to the east and as a centre for the reception of the wounded.<\/p>\n The Bundeswehr\u2019s official scenarios envisage the arrival of between 300 and 1,000 patients a day<\/strong>, around a third of whom may require intensive care. Germany has five military hospitals \u2014 in Ulm, Berlin, Hamburg, Koblenz and Westerstede \u2014 but their capacity would be insufficient in the event of a large-scale conflict.<\/p>\n Consequently, a significant proportion of military personnel will be treated in civilian hospitals, which will, at the same time, have to continue treating their usual patients.<\/p>\n One of the symbols of the new training programme is the military hospital in Ulm. Beneath its buildings lies a large medical bunker dating from the Cold War.<\/p>\n The underground complex was completed in 1979. It was designed to enable doctors to continue working even after a nuclear strike, and is intended to accommodate approximately 2,000 people who can stay independently for up to 90 days<\/strong>. The complex has effectively been out of use for decades, but the military is now considering the possibility of bringing it back into service.<\/p>\n This would require spending millions of euros on modernising ventilation systems, power supplies and other infrastructure. However, the Bundeswehr officially states that the bunker complexes at its hospitals are not currently in use.<\/p>\n \u00abIs our healthcare system ready? The only answer is no,\u00bb said Benedikt Frimert, head of the Ulm Military Hospital.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n German healthcare facilities are looking at more than just bed capacity. Possible measures include anti-drone barriers, bulletproof glass, additional stocks of medicines and the conversion of underground premises into secure treatment areas.<\/p>\n The Bundeswehr\u2019s contingency plans also take into account cyber-attacks, power cuts and disruptions to the supply of medicines and medical supplies. In the event of a major crisis, hospitals may need to postpone elective operations and discharge some patients early to free up beds.<\/p>\n A separate issue is the healthcare system\u2019s reliance on global supply chains. Hospitals fear shortages of antibiotics, painkillers, blood products and consumables if supplies are disrupted.<\/p>\n According to estimates cited by Bloomberg, only a few hundred doctors in Germany have practical experience of treating typical combat injuries. The Bundeswehr, in collaboration with the German Society for Traumatology, is therefore expanding training programmes for civilian surgeons.<\/p>\n In March 2026, the military carried out Medic Quadriga 2026<\/strong> \u2014 the Bundeswehr\u2019s largest and most complex medical exercises since the start of Russia\u2019s full-scale war against Ukraine. Over 1,000 military personnel and around 250 representatives from civilian organisations took part. The entire route taken by a casualty was practised \u2014 from evacuation from Lithuania to handover to civilian hospitals in Germany.<\/p>\n German medical professionals are also studying the experiences of Ukrainian hospitals since the start of Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion.<\/p>\nA nuclear bunker may be restored in Ulm<\/h2>\n
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Hospitals are considering measures to protect against drones<\/h2>\n
Doctors are being trained to treat combat injuries<\/h2>\n
Ukraine\u2019s experience has become one of the benchmarks<\/h2>\n