Germany German military to help with drone defense - also with weapons
In order to prevent espionage, sabotage and possible attacks on people, Germany's Bundeswehr is to provide support for drone defense in Germany in the future - using armed force if necessary. This is provided for in a draft by the Ministry of the Interior in Berlin, which has been approved by the cabinet.
19.11.2025, 13:36
SDA
The German constitution imposes strict limits on the deployment of the armed forces in Germany in times of peace. Support is therefore to be provided by way of administrative assistance for the federal states.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that legal regulations would now be created for specific measures. "That is important and right. And at the same time, we are simplifying the chains of command," said Pistorius. Cooperation with police authorities would also be expanded. However, "there will not be one hundred percent protection against drones that are launched domestically in particular in the long term."
Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, still has to approve the planned reform of the Aviation Security Act. It provides for the necessary coordination between security authorities and the military in specific cases to be simplified and accelerated. This should make it possible to react quickly to an illegal drone. The Aviation Security Act currently only allows the German armed forces to use comparatively lenient means. For example, the armed forces may force aircraft out of the airspace, force them to land, threaten the use of armed force or fire warning shots.
Force of arms only as a last resort
The reform is intended to extend the possible deployment measures of the German armed forces to support the German federal states in the prevention of a particularly serious accident. According to the draft, "the direct intervention of the armed forces with armed force or other effective means, for example with so-called jammers, against uncooperative unmanned aerial vehicles will be possible".
However, only if it can be assumed that the drone "is to be used against the lives of people or against a critical facility and the action of the armed forces is the only means of averting this current danger".
Penalty for actions on the tarmac
Most of the new regulations in the draft law are aimed at arming against risks which, according to the German government, currently emanate primarily from Russia. However, the planned reform also contains regulations aimed at radical activists who obstruct air traffic by taking action on the tarmac or runways.
Such actions by climate activists have so far been treated as an administrative offense - with fines and claims for damages. In future, this is to be treated as a criminal offense.
