The German government has given the go-ahead to a proposal that would allow the military to shoot down drones flying over critical infrastructure or military installations, following a surge in suspicious drone activity.
Prime Minister Olaf Scholz’s cabinet approved the bill on January 15, but it still needs to be passed by the Bundestag to become law.
The proposed amendment to the Aviation Security Act would allow the Bundeswehr to use force against drones if a threat to critical facilities or human life cannot be alleviated through police intervention.
Under current regulations, the military can distract or fire warning shots at drones, but they are prohibited from shooting them down, even if they pose a danger.
Authorities have linked the surge in drone activity to potential Russian espionage, with military facilities and industrial sites identified as likely targets.
“What we are seeing now is an increase in the number of drones flying over military installations and critical infrastructure, especially in the wake of the Russian invasion and the dramatic changes in the security situation over the past two years. “Drones cannot be countered by police measures alone,” Interior Ministry spokesperson Maximilian Kall said, referring to the deteriorating security environment following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Interior Minister Nancy Feiser called for stronger protective measures, citing increased use of drones since the start of the Ukraine war.
Feser noted that these developments present unprecedented challenges for law enforcement agencies in terms of technological countermeasures.
The proposal aims to address these threats but faces legal and political hurdles. Germany’s constitution imposes strict limits on the use of military force within the country, and critics have expressed doubts about the bill’s effectiveness.
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Günther Klings, legal policy spokesman for the opposition Christian Democrats, described the plan as “mostly symbolic” and called for more comprehensive legal reforms to enable the Bundeswehr to act decisively when needed. did.
The Scholz government lost its majority in parliament following the collapse of the coalition government in November, and it is unclear whether lawmakers will approve the bill. Additionally, Germany’s federal elections scheduled for February 23 may delay legislative action.
Drones over sensitive locations
Germany recently approved a proposal to allow the military to shoot down drones over critical infrastructure, following a series of disturbing drone incidents that raised concerns about possible espionage.
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The amendments follow multiple incidents involving drone sightings at strategic sites such as the U.S. military air base in Ramstein, West Germany, a training facility for Ukrainian soldiers, and property owned by German defense contractor Rheinmetall. was announced.
In a notable incident in November, a drone was seen approaching a British aircraft carrier docked in Hamburg.
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Most recently, on January 13, authorities in the southern state of Bavaria confirmed that up to 10 unidentified drones had been seen flying over Manching Air Base. Manching Air Base is a military airfield where Airbus manufactures the Eurofighter Typhoon.
This has raised alarm among law enforcement authorities, who have not ruled out espionage as a motive, especially given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Police said they take these incidents with the utmost seriousness and are deploying helicopters and carrying out extensive investigations.
Their concern is that these drones could be gathering intelligence on military installations and 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 operator of the drone.
German police are appealing for the public’s help in providing relevant information, including any sightings of suspicious people or vehicles near affected areas.
They are also investigating the possibility that these drone activities violate laws that prohibit filming sensitive facilities that could threaten national security.
Ongoing investigations into these cases add to a growing list of similar cases that have raised alarms against foreign spies in Germany.
Germany has recently seen several high-profile espionage cases, including the arrest in October of a Chinese woman on suspicion 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, coupled with an increase in drone sightings, have raised concerns about foreign intelligence-gathering activities in mainland Germany.
Similar mysterious drone sightings occurred in New Jersey late last year. Although U.S. federal authorities denied there were any national security or public safety concerns, the incident still attracted global attention.
