Overview

• Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt detailed amendments that would allow military intervention when police capacity is insufficient, with shootdowns defined as a last resort.
• Government documents indicate the cabinet has approved a draft change to permit the use of force against unmanned aircraft to prevent serious incidents.
• A national drone defense center would pool federal and state police, the BKA and the Bundeswehr to coordinate budgets, research and interception technologies such as jamming, takeovers and drone-on-drone measures.
• The initiative responds to a rise in drone activity over Denmark and northern Germany, including disruptions at Copenhagen’s airport, alongside growing concerns about suspected Russian espionage.
• The plan navigates constitutional limits on domestic military roles and outlines escalation protocols that require formal requests from civil authorities before any kinetic action.