Overview
- The cabinet approved a draft amendment to the Aviation Security Act creating Paragraph 15a, enabling Bundeswehr support to police for drone incidents with last‑resort use of weapons or other effectors only when lives or critical facilities face imminent danger and no milder means exist.
- Decision chains would be shortened so the Defence Ministry can authorize action in especially grave cases, requests can be made at lower levels, and police remain primary responders with the Bundeswehr assisting under administrative assistance rules.
- Bund and Länder plan a joint drone‑defence center to open in mid‑December, while a new Federal Police unit begins in early December equipped with jammers, lasers and interceptor drones for airports and other sensitive sites.
- Officials cite a sharp rise in suspicious overflights of critical infrastructure and airports, with attribution often unresolved; the government frequently points to Russian hybrid activity, while Pistorius cautions that complete protection is unattainable.
- The cabinet also adopted a national space‑security strategy centered on satellite protection and resilience, with the Defence Ministry planning roughly €35 billion in investments and expanded cooperation with EU and NATO partners.