It comes as US President Donald Trump's increasingly hostile stance towards traditional European allies has shaken faith in US commitment to the continent's security.

Here's what Germany's armed forces -- the Bundeswehr -- are thought to need, and how they might get it:

- What is the state of the Bundeswehr? -

Germany cashed in a so-called "peace dividend" after the Cold War. Like other Western countries, it reduced the size of its armed forces and directed more spending to areas like welfare.

This however left it heavily dependent on the protection of the United States under the NATO security umbrella, and it took the shock of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 for the situation to begin changing.

Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a 100-billion-euro ($109-billion) fund to boost the under-resourced military, and there is now sufficient supply of basic equipment such as helmets and bullet-proof jackets.

But over 80 percent of that money has now been spent, and Eva Hoegl, the parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, told reporters on Tuesday that the military still has "too little of everything".

The German military is still lacking equipment such as tanks, armoured vehicles and ammunition.

Basic infrastructure is often not up to scratch, with Hoegl saying barracks are "largely dilapidated," and recruitment targets are not being met.

- Do they have the right tech? -

Apart from armour and munitions, the Bundeswehr needs technology such as satellites and air defence systems as well as capabilities that integrate artificial intelligence.

"The Ukrainian battlefield showed how a tank worth 25 million euros can be destroyed by a drone costing 5,000 euros," head of the IfW Kiel think tank Moritz Schularick said in an interview with Der Spiegel news outlet.

"The wars of the future will be fought with autonomous weapons systems supported by networked drones controlled by artificial intelligence."

He said there was now an opportunity for the Bundeswehr to plan for the future and invest in next-generation technologies.

Another priority will be reducing dependence on US technology.

Given the shift in Washington, some have asked whether Germany should cancel orders it has made for 35 F-35 fighter jets with US weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

- How to secure long-term funding? -

Like many militaries, Germany suffers from complex procurement procedures that can often delay projects.

Systems are not seamless and digital enough while bureaucracy is "overwhelming", Hoegl said.

Stable budgets guaranteed over the long term -- not one-off special funds -- will also be necessary to develop the industrial base needed to actually make military kit at scale, according to experts.

"This is the only way for the state to negotiate contracts with better terms and conditions," security policy expert Claudia Major said in a recent media interview.

"Complex projects take years to reach the armed forces."

Costs can also be shared when Germany cooperates on projects with other European countries, as it is doing on developing a jet fighter and a tank.

- Could Germany acquire its own nuclear weapons? -

It is highly unlikely. Germany is restricted from acquiring such weapons due to international treaties it has signed, and the idea remains unpopular in a country still haunted by its Nazi past.

Merz has, however, raised the idea of Germany working with Western Europe's nuclear powers, France and Britain, on a shared nuclear deterrent in the continent, after Trump's upending of the transatlantic alliance.

Still, there have been calls in some quarters, including from far-right politicians, for Germany to acquire its own nuclear arms.

A poll published this week suggested a slight increase in support for Germany developing nuclear weapons, with 31 percent in favour, although 64 percent remained opposed.