HAMBURG: German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has declared that Europe is engaged in a “drone arms race” while highlighting the threat posed by a hostile Russia.
His warning to parliament coincided with the German armed forces launching a three-day military exercise named “Red Storm Bravo” in the northern port city of Hamburg.
The exercise is designed to simulate NATO troop movements in the event of a conflict erupting in a Baltic country.
Germany, a staunch supporter of Ukraine against Russian aggression, has reported an increase in unidentified drone flights over its military bases and critical infrastructure in recent months.
Dobrindt pointed to hybrid threats and “aggression” from Russia as the reasons Germany is strengthening its operational capabilities by developing drone defence systems.
“We are engaged in an arms race between the threat posed by drones and the means to counter them,“ he stated, referencing recent incidents in Poland, Romania, Denmark, and Norway.
The minister confirmed that Germany will increase investment and modify its aviation safety rules to improve its ability to detect, defend against, and intercept unmanned aerial vehicles.
Berlin officially accuses Russia of conducting sabotage, espionage, surveillance, and destabilisation operations across Europe.
German authorities have however been cautious about shooting down drones due to concerns that falling debris could cause civilian casualties.
Drone warfare has become a central element of the conflict in Ukraine, prompting NATO countries bordering Russia to plan a “drone defence wall”.
This proposed defence system would be a comprehensive network of technological and military solutions designed to neutralise aerial threats.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who assumed office in May, has unveiled ambitious plans to strengthen the nation’s armed forces in direct response to the Russian threat.
The Hamburg exercise will involve approximately 500 soldiers alongside police, firefighters, and other emergency services personnel.
A convoy of armoured vehicles is scheduled to move through the city as part of the realistic training scenario.
“In the fictional exercise scenario of Red Storm Bravo, we assume an escalating conflict in the Baltic region,“ explained a spokeswoman for the German army, or Bundeswehr.
She added that troops and personnel will be deployed through Hamburg to achieve effective deterrence.
Local media reports indicate that a separate, non-public drill will simulate a “mass casualty incident” in a harbourside area.
Left-wing groups have organised protests under the banner “No War Games in Hamburg”, with demonstrations expected outside Hamburg’s city hall on Friday and near the central railway station on Saturday. – AFP