Germany’s military has approached a number of major arms firms over whether they could provide logistics support in the event of a Russian attack on NATO’s eastern flank, according to reports. The Bundeswehr has reportedly spoken to companies including defence firm Rheinmettal, state-owned railway operator Deutsche Bahn and airline company Lufthansa as fears over Vladimir Putin's Russia continue, sparking panic among NATO member states.

The Handelsblatt newspaper in Germany reports the country’s armed forces have approached the companies to see if they could help with the deployment of troops and equipment to the alliance’s eastern border. Germany has pledged 35,000 soldiers and more than 200 aircraft and ships within 30 days of any major war involving NATO. The Bundeswehr’s Operational Command said that the German military “relies almost exclusively on civilian commercial service providers for the logistical transport of military goods and equipment outside of crisis zones”.

Industry sources say discussions are also being held regarding whether Lufthansa’s flight school could take over basic training for fighter jet pilots.

Reuters reported the German defence ministry, Lufthansa and Rheinmetall haven’t commented on the reports, while Deutsche Bahn said it was unable to provide details of military logistics.

It comes amid mounting tensions with Russia and concerns over US commitment to European security.