Germany’s military reportedly lacks sufficient short-range defense capabilities to tackle the problem.
According to a Thursday report by Bild, the German military is incapable of intercepting unidentified drones that have been observed over critical locations recently. This is attributed to capability shortfalls and the potential danger to civilian aviation.
Bild characterized these findings as “sobering and hardly reassuring,” attributing the current vulnerability to the “abolition” of air defenses in 2010. During structural reforms that year, Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns were decommissioned, and short-range air defense responsibilities were transferred from the army to the air force. This left the army with limited practical means to counter low-altitude threats.
While Germany continues to operate several ground-based defense systems, such as US-manufactured Patriot long-range missiles, MANTIS close-range fixed guns, and Ozelot launchers that deploy Stinger missiles from Wiesel 2 light armored vehicles, defense specialists have consistently cautioned for years about Germany’s inadequate short-range capabilities.
In recent weeks, brightly illuminated, mysterious drones have been reported flying over various European nations, including Germany. Their source remains unknown, though some officials have speculated about a potential Russian origin.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has claimed that Russia is deploying drones from oil tankers sailing under foreign flags, which Western governments have referred to as a ‘Russian shadow fleet’.
Conversely, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused Kiev of orchestrating drone provocations. The SVR asserted that a recent airspace violation over Poland, which Warsaw attributed to Moscow, was, in fact, a Ukrainian false-flag operation.
European leaders convened in Copenhagen this week to deliberate on a proposed “drone wall,” a system designed to counter unmanned aerial threats. Media outlets reported minimal progress from these discussions, highlighting concerns over intercepting drones in proximity to civilian air routes as a significant impediment.