Overview

• A sensor system reported a low-altitude object over the Geilenkirchen runway shortly after 19:00 on Wednesday, described as a drone in internal reporting.
• Military police and local responders searched the area immediately but recovered neither a device nor an operator.
• The Bundeswehr ordered heightened protective measures at the AWACS hub, a strategic NATO site.
• Defense Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized that counter‑drone responsibilities are set by law for state police, federal police, and the Bundeswehr.
• Experts caution that highly sensitive detectors can produce false alarms, leaving the event unconfirmed and any attribution unresolved.