German drone defence centre inaugurated, operational from January

Germany has inaugurated a Joint Drone Defence Centre (GDAZ) in Berlin to better detect and neutralize unauthorized drones in the future, with operations set to commence in January.

In the new centre, which is located within the Federal Police, representatives from security agencies, the armed forces, or Bundeswehr, and intelligence services will be able to exchange information and "coordinate operational measures," Olaf Lindner, head of Federal Police Directorate 11, explained on Wednesday.

Drone defence efforts are primarily focused on airports, Bundeswehr sites and energy suppliers.

According to the federal government, drone sightings at key facilities in Germany have significantly increased since the start of the Russian war against Ukraine.

"We largely assume that these drones are also controlled by hostile powers," said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt.

The focus is specifically on preventing espionage, sabotage and disruptions to air traffic, as well as defending against potential attacks.

The interior ministers of the federal and state governments agreed at their conference in early December in the northern city of Bremen that the police could not handle the task of defending against larger military drones. This is fundamentally a matter for the Bundeswehr, they decided.

The organizational model of the new centre is the Joint Counter-Terrorism Centre, where police, intelligence services and other relevant authorities exchange information on current risk cases in the area of Islamist terrorism.