Dobrindt lays out Germany’s plans for improved drone defence

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt wants to create a joint drone defence centre as the country beefs up its abilities to deal with the unmanned aircraft, many of which were seen over numerous German airports in recent days.

Dobrindt told a meeting with European counterparts in Munich on Saturday that an amendment to Germany’s constitution or Basic Law would not be necessary for the Bundeswehr to be able to provide administrative assistance as he had planned.

He did not comment on the background to the recent drone overflights at Munich Airport.

Minister speaks of ‘arms race’

“We already have capabilities in the federal police, customs, the Federal Criminal Police Office and the state authorities,” Dobrindt, who is from Germany’s conservative Bavarian Christian Social Union party, explained.

“However, we want to significantly expand these capabilities and we want to ensure that communication between the federal states and the federal government and the ability to analyse is strengthened,” the minister added.

He spoke of an “arms race” between drone threats and drone defence.

Varying aporoaches for different sorts of drones

Depending on the type of drone in question, administrative assistance from the German Armed Forces could be necessary, said Dobrindt – in any case, this should not be ruled out. “That’s why we need to create the legal framework to make this possible.”

Dobrindt said that drones flying at treetop height, for example, could be dealt with by the police.

“But we also have drones at very high altitudes,” he noted.

One could also imagine military drones, such as those already seen in other countries like Poland.

The minister also wants to set up a “development and research unit” on the subject of drones and work together with Israel and Ukraine, as well as with other countries in Europe and the European Commission.

However, Dobrindt also emphasized that not every drone is a threat. “Many of them, even if they are initiated and controlled by foreign powers, are part of a targeted provocation and not always automatically a threat.”

Frontex should invest more money in drone defence

EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Magnus Brunner announced additional EU funding for drone defence. The EU border protection agency Frontex already has €150 million available for this purpose.

“We will make an additional €250 million available from the border protection fund, specifically for drones,” he said, referring to a proposal from his agency. This should also include the protection of airports.

Brunner spoke of hybrid warfare. Attacks no longer only occur on the EU’s eastern external border, but also in the heart of Europe.

Migration policy also on the agenda

Dobrindt hosted interior ministers from several European countries in Munich on Saturday in a bid to tighten migration policy.

They did not plan to issue a final declaration at the close of the Munich Migration Meeting as it was a “working meeting,” the ministry said.

The meeting chiefly sought to pave the way for return centres, Dobrindt said. They would accommodate rejected asylum seekers from Europe who cannot be returned to their home countries, he told Munich newspaper the Münchner Merkur.

Such centres would be located as close as possible to the countries of origin.

Although work is under way at EU level on such centres, Dobrindt said the European Union could not be relied upon to establish such “return hubs” and individual EU states should be able to take the lead in this matter.

The latest gathering comes after Dobrindt met with colleagues from five EU countries and Brunner in July, when they committed to consistent deportations including to Syria and Afghanistan, better protection of the EU’s external borders and boosting the acceptance of rejected asylum seekers by non-EU countries.