Episode 41: General Carsten Breuer and Benedikt Franke on Germany’s 2029 Deadline

In this special episode of Memos to the President, recorded live at the Munich Security Conference, SCSP CEO Ylli Bajraktari is joined by a very special co-host: Benedikt Franke, CEO and Vice Chairman of the Munich Security Conference. Together, they sit down with General Carsten Breuer, the Chief of Defense of the German Bundeswehr, to discuss the most dangerous security environment in 40 years.

The conversation centers on the "2029 Culmination Point." General Breuer provides a candid assessment of why Germany has a five-year window to become "war-ready" to deter a real and growing threat from Russia. From filling the "pit holes" left by decades of underspending to the "hard choices" of buying American tech off-the-shelf versus building a sovereign European industrial base, this briefing covers the critical roadmap for the future of the Alliance.

Key themes from this high-level briefing:

• The 2029 Mandate: Why the German military must be ready to wage war by 2029 to ensure peace through deterrence.
• Modernization on Steroids: Navigating the €100 billion budget to prioritize air defense, long-range fires, and satellites.
• Ukraine as the "Teacher": How front-line lessons are currently rewriting German military doctrine and manuals.
• The War of the Future: The long-term shift toward digitalization and AI as the core of military strength.
• Industry & Innovation: Why the military, policymakers, and the private sector must work in lockstep to upscale production.

Timestamped Highlights:

• 00:08 – Intro: A Joint Podcast with MSC CEO Benedikt Franke
• 00:56 – The 2029 Vision: Why Germany must be "Ready for War"
• 01:58 – Cultural Shift: Instilling a "Sense of Urgency" in the Population
• 03:49 – Modernization: Filling the "Pit Holes" of Underspending
• 04:53 – Strategic Priorities: Air Defense, Deep Strike, and Satellites
• 05:12 – The Tech Advantage: Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
• 05:53 – Learning from Ukraine: Doctrine Changes and Ukrainian Instructors
• 07:36 – The Private Sector: Transitioning to "Forward-Leaning" Production
• 09:55 – Procurement Tradeoffs: Off-the-Shelf vs. European Sovereignty
• 12:50 – 42 Years of Perspective: Facing the Most Dangerous Time Since the Cold War
• 14:52 – MSC 2026: European Responsibility and the U.S. Partnership
• 16:42 – The Goal for 2029: Deterrence as the Shield for Prosperity

Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel!

Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.