Overview
- The interior ministers’ conference backed a nationwide center under federal lead, seated in Berlin and connected to Federal Police Directorate 11, with operations slated for mid-December; reports name 17 December.
- The hub will build a shared, near‑real‑time situational picture and co-locate federal and state police, the Bundeswehr, civilian air surveillance and intelligence services to coordinate responses.
- Questions persist over legal authority and operational command for handling uncooperative drones and over how responsibilities are split between state police, the Federal Police and the military.
- The Federal Police’s new drone-defense unit demonstrated its capabilities to ministers, while states reported uneven readiness; priority protection targets include airports, military sites and energy suppliers.
- Funding remains disputed as the federal government points to roughly €100 million already invested and resists additional outlays, prompting Länder to warn of cost pressures and call for broader support; airport operators expect improved coordination to reduce flight disruptions.