In response to a surge in suspicious drone activity, Germany’s government has given the green light to a proposal allowing the military to shoot down drones operating over critical infrastructure and military sites.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cabinet approved the measure on January 15, but it must still pass through the Bundestag, the country’s federal parliament, before becoming law.
The proposed amendment to the Aviation Security Act would permit the Bundeswehr to use force against drones in cases where threats to critical facilities or human lives cannot be mitigated by police intervention.
Under current regulations, the military can distract drones or fire warning shots but is prohibited from shooting them down, even when they pose danger.
Authorities have linked the spike in drone activity to potential Russian espionage efforts, with military installations and industrial sites identified as likely targets.
“What we are now seeing, especially in the wake of Russian aggression and the drastically changed security situation over the past two years, is an increasing number of drone flyovers above military installations and critical infrastructure — drones that cannot be countered by police measures alone,” said Maximilian Kall, a spokesperson for the interior ministry, referencing the deteriorating security environment following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser have called for upgraded protection measures, citing the growing use of drones since the start of the Ukraine war.
Faeser noted that these developments present unprecedented challenges for law enforcement agencies regarding technological countermeasures.
While the proposal aims to address these threats, it faces legal and political hurdles. Germany’s constitution imposes strict limits on the domestic use of military force, and critics have expressed doubts about the bill’s effectiveness.
Günter Krings, the legal policy spokesperson for the opposition Christian Democrats, labeled the plan “largely symbolic” and argued for more comprehensive legal reforms to enable the Bundeswehr to act decisively when necessary.
Scholz’s government lost its parliamentary majority following the collapse of a coalition in November, casting uncertainty over whether lawmakers will approve the measure. Additionally, Germany’s upcoming federal election on February 23 may delay legislative action.
Drones Over Sensitive Sites
Germany’s recent approval of a proposal allowing the military to shoot down drones over critical infrastructure follows a series of unsettling drone incidents that have raised concerns about potential espionage.
The amendment comes after multiple incidents, including drone sightings at strategic locations such as the US military airbase at Ramstein in West Germany, training facilities for Ukrainian soldiers, and sites owned by German defense contractor Rheinmetall.
One notable occurrence took place in November when a drone was seen approaching a British aircraft carrier docked in Hamburg.
More recently, on January 13, authorities in the southern state of Bavaria confirmed that up to ten unidentified drones had been spotted flying over the Manching airbase, a site home to a military aerodrome and where Airbus manufactures the Eurofighter Typhoon.
This raised alarm among investigators, who have not ruled out espionage as a motive, especially in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The police said it is treating these incidents with the utmost seriousness, deploying helicopters, and conducting extensive investigations.
Their concern is that these drones could be gathering intelligence on military installations or defense companies, potentially as part of Russia’s broader efforts during its war of aggression in Ukraine. However, authorities have not been able to identify the operators of the drones.
The German police have called for the public’s assistance in providing any relevant information, such as sightings of suspicious individuals or vehicles near the affected sites.
They are also investigating the possibility that these drone activities violate laws against photographing sensitive installations that could threaten national security.
The ongoing investigations into these incidents add to a growing list of similar cases that have raised alarms in Germany over foreign espionage.
In recent times, Germany has experienced several high-profile espionage cases, including the arrest of a Chinese woman in October on charges of spying on defense industry sites.
In December, a Chinese man was also investigated for allegedly photographing a naval base on Germany’s Baltic coast.
These incidents, combined with the rising drone sightings, have heightened fears of foreign intelligence-gathering activities on German soil.
Similar mysterious drone sightings occurred late last year in New Jersey. While US federal officials dismissed any national security or public safety concerns, the incidents still captured global attention.
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