The Bundestag’s Budget Committee has given the green light to the purchase of combat drones for the German military. However, conditions and rules have been set for the total planned expenditure.
The German Armed Forces will be equipped with so-called kamikaze drones. This was decided by the Budget Committee of the Bundestag, which approved the plans of the Ministry of Defense. Initially, weapons systems will be purchased from German manufacturers Helsing and Stark Defense with a total value of around 540 million euros. For additional purchases, which exceed this amount, the Budget Committee must be consulted again. This is stated in a resolution, cited by ARD.
Budget politicians have set limits for the Ministry of Defense on the total possible spending: under the negotiated terms, a maximum of 2 billion euros can be spent on “kamikaze drones,” divided equally between two arms companies. The Ministry of Defense had initially foreseen a budget of 4,3 billion euros. To do this, new contracts with the companies would be needed.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called it an “important step.” The German Armed Forces are also learning from the Ukrainian experience and benefiting from cooperation in the field of armaments. The suicide drones are remotely controlled and can drop explosives or detonate directly on the target. These unmanned aerial systems equipped with warheads are now central to many of the effective strikes in the war in Ukraine. The German army thus aims to open a new chapter on the battlefield with these weapons, after previously being slowed down by political decisions.
The Lithuanian Brigade, based on NATO’s eastern flank, will be the first unit to receive the new weapons systems as a deterrent against Russia. The weapons systems are expected to be operational in Lithuania in 2027. Several thousand “kamikaze drones” have been ordered in the first series. In total, a five-figure number is expected to be purchased. Arms group Rheinmetall is the third potential supplier in this field.
The Greens, in particular, have expressed strong reservations about the American investor Peter Thiel, a participant in Stark Defense, and have demanded clarification about his possible influence. Thiel is known for his libertarian and right-wing conservative views, his closeness to US President Donald Trump and his criticism of liberal democracies. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius sees no problem with this. According to him, Thiel owns less than ten percent of the shares and therefore cannot interfere in the company’s operations. (DW)