In a major development, the German military contingent in Afghanistan began participating in offensive operations against Taliban insurgents in July. On July 23 German defence minister Franz Josef Jung announced the changes to rules of engagement (ROE) that allowed German troops to conduct joint operations with Afghan National Army (ANA) units in the north of the central Asia country. The first mission under the new ROE involved some 300 German troops, backed by mortars and Marder infantry fighting vehicles, supporting some 1,200 ANA troops in a major cordon and search operation. German air force Tornado bombers also provide close air support during the operation. Up to now the German government had restricted its troops to civil reconstruction for the civil population and training for the ANA.

Although this development is a significant shift in German policy in Afghanistan and represents an effort by the government to rebut criticism that it was not ‘pulling its weight’ in campaign, Chancellor Angela Merkel has not yet agreed to move German troops to high intensity war zone in southern Afghanistan from the relatively peaceful north. This would expose Germans troops to considerable risk and is unlikely to be take place until after the September 2009 Federal Parliamentary elections.

Merkel is thought to be keen to dampen down the Afghan issue and prevent the Social Democrat Party from using it as an issue in the election campaign.

Germany has suffered no significant terrorist attacks this year as Berlin’s intelligence, security and law enforcement agencies continue to co-operate extensively with the European and international counterparts. Berlin indicated in June that it would not participate in any agreement between the EU and the US to accommodate up to 50 detainees from the controversial US-run prison at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. The agreement was part of the Obama administration’s drive to clear the prison of detainees but the German government indicated that it was unwilling to take any of the released inmates unless the US itself housed some of them. As this seems very unlikely, Berlin is unlikely to participate in the programme to provide the detainees with new homes in Europe.

German defence spending still appears to be at robust levels and the government has made major commitments to a number of high profile equipment programmes in the past three months. The Luftwaffe received a major boost on July 31 when the four nation Eurofighter partner nations signed the Tranche 3A contract. This will see Germany buy 31 Tranche 3 Typhoon aircraft, worth EUR2.8bn for delivery by 2013, as part of a umbrella contract that will see 112 aircraft across the partner nations.

German defence exports remain focused on a series of specialist niche areas, including warship and submarine building. A major success was achieved in July in Turkey, which ordered six Type 214 submarines in a EUR2.5bn contract for local assembly. The submarines will be assembled at the Golcuk Naval Shipyard near Izmit and the first vessel will be delivered in 2015