Germany to Establish a Research Center on Drone Defense Following Incidents
Germany will establish a new research center to counter drones at the test airfield of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The center is scheduled to be established on August 18, according to Deutsche Welle, citing a statement by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt to the newspaper Bild.
The center will develop and test technologies to defend against drones. Dobrindt stated that competition in the field of drone technology requires specialized research units capable of keeping pace with the development of such systems. According to DW, Germany is stepping up this research due to the growing threat posed by drones that could potentially be under foreign control.
The minister’s statement came after several drone incidents over the past week that have heightened security concerns in the country. In particular, on Thursday evening, two drones were spotted flying over a Bundeswehr military base in Mechernich, near the border with Belgium. According to media reports, the base is home to personnel responsible for maintaining U.S. Patriot air defense systems.
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Two days earlier, a drone carrying explosives was found near the runway at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Media reports indicated that it was located near several Ukrainian cargo planes. German authorities did not publicly attribute responsibility for this incident to any country, although some lawmakers accused Russia. The embassy of the aggressor state, Russia, in Berlin called the incident a “fabricated provocation” and stated that Moscow was once again being accused without evidence.
Against the backdrop of security threats, Armin Papperger, CEO of the defense conglomerate Rheinmetall, stated that he has no intention of succumbing to intimidation in the face of threats directed at him. He is under constant police protection. German domestic security services have also urged employees in the defense sector to be particularly vigilant due to the risks of espionage and sabotage by Russian state agencies.
