Germany Grants Military Drone-Shooting Powers Amid EU's Anti-Drone Wall Plans
Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has announced new regulations enabling the German Armed Forces to shoot down drones in specific high-risk situations. This move comes as the European Union (EU) plans to install an 'anti-drone wall' to safeguard its eastern flank following several drone detection incidents in Denmark, Romania, and Poland.
Until now, the authority to down drones rested with the federal police and regional authorities. However, they have lacked suitable technology for this task. The new regulations allow the German Armed Forces to intervene if there is an immediate threat to life or critical infrastructure, and other defence measures have failed. The EU's anti-drone system, set to be operational soon, will be capable of detecting, tracking, and capturing drones. It will also utilise satellite location detection and maritime security measures. The catalogue of anti-drone measures includes technological solutions such as interference emitters and systems for taking control of aerial vehicles. EU defence ministers agreed to the anti-drone plan during a videoconference.
Germany's new regulations expand the response capabilities to drone threats, with the German Armed Forces now authorised to shoot down drones in acute risk situations. Meanwhile, the EU's anti-drone wall is expected to bolster security along its eastern border, following several drone detection cases in recent months.
