Germany lacks capacity to shoot down drones over its territory —Bild

German Armed Forces are currently unable to shoot down drones flying over the country, the local daily Bild writes.

According to the newspaper, Germany does not have a fully functioning counter-drone system.

The army’s air defence units were disbanded back in 2010, and a comprehensive system to counter unmanned aerial threats is still under development.

The report also notes that safely shooting down drones over populated areas or during civilian air traffic is nearly impossible, as falling debris or projectiles could injure people.

The concerns come against the backdrop of a surge in drone sightings across Germany in recent days:

• September 25 – Two small drones were spotted over the Thyssenkrupp naval shipyard in Kiel, followed by a swarm of drones—including a so-called “mother drone”—over Kiel University Hospital. Later the same evening, drones were reported above the coastal power plant, the Kiel Canal, the state parliament, and the Heide refinery.

• September 26 – Drones were observed over the naval command in Rostock.

• September 29 – Federal police reported large drones over the Rostock overseas port. In southern Germany, a drone was also seen above a major defence company’s factory in Bavaria.

• Airbus has also raised alarms, with the head of its defence division telling Bild that drones have flown over company sites “for several hours.”

The incidents have fueled concerns about Germany’s vulnerability to unmanned aerial threats and underscored the urgent need to modernise its air defence capabilities.