Munich security conference

[GenosseGeneral]

Why does it have to be US level of power projection? Germany has a small, but modern army, well supplied and the industrial ability to keep it running at peak efficiency, and even though their industrial base is bigger than UK's or France's, their level of involvement is much, much smaller.

In fact, we don't. The German army is not efficient and not well supplied. Most parts are still structured, as if there were 6000 Soviet tanks at our border. Currently, it has a size of about 250.000, out of these one division is supposed to be capable of actual power projection (in the sense of fighting abroad). With our current missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo and minor contingents at other places, there are roughly about 12.000 soldiers abroad, yet the army is considered overallocated.
In terms of equipment, while Germany produces some highly sophisticated military technology, submarines and self-propelled howitzers are not necessary in Afghanistan. They do not buy, what they need right now but what they ordered under a contract from the 90ties because it is ready for delivery finally, up to the point that deployed soldiers buy a lot of their equipment themselves. And in Afghanistan, for instance, the German army is dependent on American Medevacs, as its own choppers are from the 60s and the NH90, which is supposed to replace them, should have been delivered years ago.
So as long as there is a) no change in overall German mentality and b) not an army reform making the army logistically and equipment-wise capable of prolonged operations abroad, this is all just rhethorics.
And in the end, that is probably not all to bad. I have my doubts, that invading Iraq has made my life more secure.