The German government has approved a proposal permitting the military to intercept and destroy drones operating above critical infrastructure and military facilities. The decision follows multiple reports of suspicious drone activity in the vicinity of key installations.
The Federal Cabinet on 15 January sanctioned regulatory proposals aimed at amending the Aviation Security Act which would empower the German armed forces to intercept unlawfully operating drones in the case of a particularly severe incident. The condition for this intervention is that the state police forces, typically tasked with hazard prevention, lack the technical capability to address the situation and formally request assistance.
The move come amid a rise in reports concerning the presence of such drones over vital infrastructure and military sites in Germany. Espionage and sabotage are frequently regarded as potential motives behind these incidents. Concurrently, the swift advancement of technology is posing increasing challenges for law enforcement agencies, particularly with regard to drone models that exhibit advanced flight capabilities, significantly outpacing the performance of standard commercial drones.
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser stated: “Drones as a tool for espionage and sabotage can pose a serious threat, especially to our critical infrastructure. Police authorities are constantly developing their options for detecting and defending against drones. Nevertheless, especially since Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine, we have seen that drones are being used more and more frequently, which pose an increasing challenge for the police and their current technology.”
“It is therefore necessary that we create the authority in the Aviation Security Act that allows the Bundeswehr to intervene in the event of serious dangers – including, as a last resort, to shoot down illegally flying drones. This increases the protection of our critical infrastructure. And it shows that we will not be intimidated and are resolutely confronting the current threats.”
In December 2023, the federal government presented the reform of the Federal Police Act which contained a special authorization for the federal police to defend against drones using the most modern technical means, through electromagnetic pulses, the disruption of radio connections or through physical influence on drones.
