Recent incursions of drones into the airspace of several European nations have prompted calls for Germany to invoke a state of heightened tension, a provision embedded within the country’s Basic Law. Roderich Kiesewetter, a security policy expert for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), argues that this measure is crucial to authorize the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) to immediately intercept and neutralize drones.
Kiesewetter, in remarks to the “Handelsblatt” newspaper, emphasized the necessity of extending this capability beyond military installations to encompass critical infrastructure. He characterized the drone overflights as part of a broader pattern of hybrid warfare, blurring the lines between external and internal security threats. According to Kiesewetter, Russia is utilizing drones for military intelligence gathering, a practice he described as “shaping the battlefield” alongside efforts to sow fear and uncertainty within the population through what he termed “cognitive warfare”. He contends that this warrants considering the incidents as acts of aggression.
Invoking the state of heightened tension, Kiesewetter suggests, would enable the Bundeswehr to protect essential infrastructure and offer the police additional options for safeguarding the public. The move is also intended to streamline decision-making processes and optimize the utilization of available resources.
Fellow CDU politician Marc Henrichmann echoed this sentiment, highlighting the pressing need for streamlined decision-making and clear lines of responsibility through revised mutual assistance arrangements between the police and the Bundeswehr. He described the threat posed by drones as “massive” underlining the urgency of a decisive response. Henrichmann further clarified that armed drones should not be equated with recreational models.