Germany is considering allowing its military to shoot down drones, a report revealed on Saturday, after recent drone incursions around Europe raised tensions with Russia.
Berlin had already announced plans to bolster its drone defence systems earlier this week to counter the growing Russian threat. Tabloid Bild reported that, among measures planned, the government was considering allowing the armed forces to shoot down drones under certain conditions.
The military should be able to intervene if a drone poses a serious danger to human life or critical infrastructure and other measures would be insufficient, the paper said. In such cases, decision-making powers would reportedly be transferred to the defence ministry. Such powers currently lie with the police.
Germany, one of Ukraine’s key backers, has reported a rise in suspicious drone sightings, including late Friday in Schleswig-Holstein near the Danish border, Interior Minister Sabine Suetterlin-Waack confirmed. Similar incidents in recent days forced temporary airport closures in Denmark and Norway, with drones also spotted above Denmark’s largest military base.
Contacted by AFP, the interior ministry did not confirm the plan but speaking to the Rheinische Post newspaper, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said that he wanted to overhaul air security laws, so the military can help the police “especially in drone defence”.
“We are not only experiencing a turning point in military security, but also in civil defence and civil protection as a whole,” he said.
When asked by news channel, Tagesschau, a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry said, that consultations were currently underway regarding a reform of the Federal Police Act and an amendment to the Aviation Security Act. However, he declined to comment on the details.
Magdalena Kensy contributed to reporting.