Germany’s police force will be given new and far-reaching powers to shoot down rogue drones in a swift response to last week’s incursions that grounded thousands of flights at Munich airport.
Amid recent disruption from suspected Russian drones across Europe at arms factories, hospitals and critical infrastructure, the anti-drone draft Bill approved on Wednesday by the cabinet of Chancellor Friedrich Merz now goes to parliament.
The chancellor said Germany would not allow “drone incidents threaten our safety”.
“We are strengthening the powers of the federal police so that drones can be detected and intercepted more quickly in future,” he said.
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So far this year, 129 untraceable drone flights have disrupted air travel in Germany, up one third on the same period last year. The draft Bill clarifies the circumstances in which drones can be intercepted and by whom.
Federal interior minister Alexander Dobrint said the federal police – already responsible for security at German airports – will be responsible for smaller drones at airports, large public events, government buildings and train stations and lines.
“This gives the federal police the opportunity to have the latest technology to tackle drones,” he said of the Bill, which will see Berlin invest €90 million annually in anti-drone technology – most likely from Ukraine and Israel.
On the minister’s shopping list: laser devices, GPS blockers and other electronic jamming devices. In addition Germany will spend €25 million to buy its own drone patrol fleet and has vowed to become a world leader in drone-building.
Meanwhile, the Bill opens the door to allow the military deployment to tackle larger drones and other aircraft, though legal questions remain given a German ban on military domestic deployment.
The new German anti-drone Bill follows similar measures adopted in the UK, France and Lithuania but neighbouring Denmark has gone a step further.
Plagued by drones of unknown origin, on Tuesday Denmark’s defence minister signed a memorandum of understanding with his Kyiv counterpart to allow Ukrainian defence companies set up joint ventures in the Nordic country.
Danish defence minister Lund Poulsen admitted his country was “not well prepared” for rogue drones while Ukrainian defence minister Denys Shmyhal described the deal as a “major step towards forming a new security system in Europe”.
A series of high-profile drone incursions, in particular over Copenhagen airport, dominated Danish headlines for weeks.
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that a “hybrid war” is already under way in Europe creating “the most difficult and dangerous situation since the end of the second World War”.
As in other European countries, Denmark has not been able to identify the origin of the drones, but Ms Frederiksen said “there is only one country willing to threaten us and it is Russia, so we need a strong response”.
Last week Russian president Vladimir Putin denied any Russian involvement and accused Europe of “whipping up hysteria” over the recent drone wave.
Denmark’s Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS) has warned that Moscow is combining rogue drone activity at Nordic airports with so-called “grey zone” fleet activity in the Danish Straits – strategic waters linking the Baltic Sea to other Nato waters.
Similar to Berlin, Copenhapen is in talks to Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) about purchasing one of its state-of-the-art Barak MX air defence systems.
IAI has received at least €1.4 million in EU science and research funding for developing its products, as have rival anti-aircraft system-makers in Israel.
Amid a new anti-drone push, Nato has unveiled new European command structures, with new logistics and ground command centres in Sweden and Finland, respectively.
