German Spying Attempt with Drones at a Key Air Force Base in the North Sea Alarms the Bundeswehr
A large-scale espionage attempt using drones at a crucial air force base in Husum, on the North Sea, where Ukrainian soldiers are also trained, has alarmed the Bundeswehr. From January 9 to 29, a total of six “security incidents” (SiVoKo) with professional drones of unknown origin occurred in Schwesing. “It is being investigated due to suspicion of espionage” the report, classified as confidential, states, according to a report by the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
The Schwesing base is the training center for anti-aircraft rockets, where Ukrainian soldiers are also trained on Patriot systems, of which Germany has so far delivered four launch pads, three complete air defense systems and missiles. In the case of Schwesing, apparently particularly professional “small Unmanned Arial Systems (sUAS)” were used, as the report states.
And the own defense measures failed: “The observed multi-rotors hovered with their position lights on for minutes, making visual and acoustic location much easier” the report emphasizes. Attempts to jam and other devices were unsuccessful in diverting them from their course or forcing them to land. Due to the ineffectiveness of the systems, it can be assumed that it was not ordinary drones, but specialized objects with other specifications, the report states.
The conclusion is as follows: “In none of the six cases could the drone operators be identified.” Field gendarmes, police and the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) were involved. In addition, further detection and jamming systems have been relocated to the site.
In Bundeswehr circles, the suspicion is expressed that the drones may have been launched from ships in the North or Baltic Sea. As for who might be behind it, Russia is being referred to, but there are no concrete evidence yet.