Germany Expands Military Powers to Counter Rising Drone Threats

An amendment to the Air Security Act focuses on the defense of airports and critical infrastructure and allows the Bundeswehr to support police.

New recruits of the German Army Bundeswehr attend a ceremony to take their oath in front of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Sept. 4, 2025. Martin Meissner/AP Photo

Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, voted on Feb. 26 to give the military more powers to intercept unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in response to an increase in drone sightings in the country since the start of the Russia–Ukraine war.

The Bundestag approved an amendment to the Air Security Act put forward by the Federal Government that allows the Bundeswehr—Germany’s military—to take direct action against drones when requested by civilian authorities.