Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Germany Moves to Tighten Drone Defenses After Airport Disruptions

The government plans swift legal revisions to clarify responsibilities, building a national drone‑defence center.

Overview

  • Unidentified drones repeatedly disrupted air traffic, forcing temporary shutdowns at Munich Airport and causing delays in Frankfurt and Copenhagen.
  • Chancellor Friedrich Merz said many flights are likely Russian-directed, while the Kremlin dismissed the allegations as unfounded and senior Russian figures mocked European concerns.
  • The cabinet is set to take up changes this week to air‑security rules to enable clearer use of Bundeswehr support via police aid and to establish a centralized drone‑defence hub.
  • Defence Minister Boris Pistorius proposed using the new National Security Council for a 24/7, nationwide air picture, cautioned that police must build core counter‑UAS capacity, and noted no armed‑drone incidents have been confirmed.
  • Germany is accelerating counter‑drone acquisitions and trials, including jammers, interceptor drones and Skyranger 30 air‑defence vehicles by 2028, as similar incidents across NATO states heighten concern.