Following the discovery of an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport, the Federal Police’s new drone countermeasures unit is now set to be significantly larger than previously planned. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) will issue a directive to the Federal Police later on Monday calling for the unit to be expanded to 300 officers, said a spokeswoman for the ministry. Instead of four locations, eight are now planned “to ensure a rapid and flexible response on-site when needed.” The newspaper “Bild” was the first to report on the planned expansion.
In response to the increased threat—particularly from Russia—Dobrindt commissioned a new unit in December tasked with detecting, intercepting, and, if necessary, shooting down unmanned aerial vehicles. The forces are stationed at airports, in the federal capital, and nationwide near security-sensitive sites so they can reach the scene as quickly as possible.
