German military installations spied on by drones again, just before Christmas. On December 22, around 22:00, three drones were spotted flying over a large munitions depot in Dorsten, in the Ruhr region, according to a report by the “Spiegel” based on police records.
Although the police arrived and helicopters took to the air, the drones could not be intercepted. The operation lasted about an hour and a half, as the reports show.
On the same evening, several drones were reportedly seen over the naval base in Wilhelmshaven and surrounding areas. In the police report, it is described as “constant, changing flight and hovering movements.” In this case, too, the authorities were unable to clarify the background.
Presumably, military spy drones over critical infrastructure are increasingly alarming German security authorities. “Almost daily” drone sightings are now being reported in Germany, said Konstantin von Notz, chairman of the Parliamentary Control Committee in the Bundestag, to the “Spiegel”. Often, a spying background is to be assumed.
Niedersachsen’s Interior Minister, Daniela Behrens (SPD), told the news magazine that the police currently lack “adequate means” to counter military drones. The flights appear to be “part of hybrid warfare, for which we need to find appropriate responses.” The politician called for a reevaluation of the strict separation of police and Bundeswehr, as prescribed by the Basic Law. “We need a change for situations in which internal and external security overlap, without completely calling into question the separation principle” Behrens said.
If drones enter a restricted airspace, the state police are typically responsible for defense. At 13 airports, the federal police, and at military installations, the Bundeswehr, are in charge. The Bundeswehr has the best drone defense technology, but has so far been mainly deployed for support only in the interior.