German military to form six kamikaze drone units, army chief says

The German military plans to form six units to operate newly introduced kamikaze drones over the coming years, Army Inspector Christian Freuding has said.

"We have begun testing, in a fair competition, and aim to make the first medium-range battery operational by 2027, with five more to follow by 2029," he said at an event in Berlin on Tuesday.

The Bundeswehr, Germany's military, is testing so-called loitering munitions, which can hover in the battlefield before striking when a target is identified.

Freuding announced plans to establish a battery — roughly the size of a company, with 60 to 150 soldiers — equipped with new long-range weapons systems by 2029. Additional innovations include projects to protect military sites from drone attacks nationwide.

The lieutenant general, the highest-ranking officer in the German Army, outlined a vision of the future battlefield as networked, data-driven, asymmetrical, transparent and shaped by artificial intelligence. He described data as "virtually the ammunition of warfare."

The goal, he said, is to maintain a protective shield while penetrating the adversary's, overwhelming opponents through orchestrated attacks across all domains, and executing highly dynamic combat operations.

In planning for readiness and potential threats from Russia, Freuding has ordered an assessment of both Bundeswehr and adversary capabilities through 2029, with results expected early next year.

He voiced frustration behind closed doors over the slow progress of the multibillion-euro digital communications project (D-LBO), warning it could significantly affect unit readiness.

Freuding said that following ongoing tests, a decision must be taken in December on how to align the integration of digital communications technology into weapons systems and vehicles with military procurement.