Berlin: Germany recorded its highest-ever monthly tally of drone sightings over military installations in October, a senior defense intelligence official has said with an increasing number of intrusions now targeting naval bases, a shift that has heightened concerns about espionage and hybrid-warfare activity inside European territory.
According to the official briefings, October saw more drones detected around German military facilities than in any previous month a dramatic uptick reflecting a change in both frequency and pattern.
Alarmingly, the incidents now increasingly involve naval sites, rather than being confined to traditional army or air-force installations. That suggests a deliberate shift of focus by unknown actors possibly probing Germany’s maritime security, port facilities and naval infrastructure.
While precise numbers were not disclosed publicly, the rise in sightings has coincided with broader reports of drone activity over sensitive infrastructure: airports, energy facilities and industrial plants across Germany and neighbouring states.
The uptick in drone incidents is not limited to military bases. Earlier in October, Munich Airport one of Germany’s busiest was forced to suspend flight operations after multiple drones were spotted near runways. The disruption led to cancellation or diversion of dozens of flights and left around 3,000 passengers stranded.
Such incidents underscore a growing reality: drones have emerged as a threat not only to military security but also to civilian infrastructure and daily life. Observers warn that what might appear sporadic or isolated today airport disruptions or quick over-flights could signal a pattern of creeping instability.
In response to the growing challenge, Berlin has moved rapidly to strengthen its legal and operational defenses. The cabinet has approved draft legislation empowering federal police and, with parliamentary approval, potentially the armed forces to shoot down unauthorized drones in cases of “acute threat.” The law would also permit use of jamming, lasers or other technical means to sever drones’ control and navigation links.
Additionally, the defense establishment has initiated the formation of specialized rapid-response anti-drone teams. These units are being deployed domestically and, in some cases, assisting partner countries facing similar threats.
Officials describe the situation as entering a new “arms race” not between traditional militaries, but between drone-enabled covert threats and states’ ability to detect and neutralize them swiftly.
The shift toward naval installations is especially worrisome. Naval bases often anchor critical maritime supply lines, host strategic assets including warships, submarines and logistics and link to civilian ports and energy infrastructure. Frequent drone over-flights over such sites may indicate reconnaissance activity, mapping of port and fleet movements, or even preparation for sabotage.
Given the broader regional context with heightened tensions across the Baltic, North Sea and Europe due to ongoing conflicts and instability these drones incursions could be part of a larger campaign aimed at undermining alliance security, testing air-defense readiness, and sowing uncertainty.
For Germany and its NATO partners, this new environment demands more than reactive measures: it requires proactive strategy, a robust network of surveillance, and perhaps a reevaluation of how maritime and land-based defense converge in an age of unmanned threat vectors.
As Germany moves to strengthen its counter-drone laws and build rapid-response teams, several key questions remain unanswered: Who is behind these over-flights? Are these drones operated by state actors, proxy organizations, or non-state covert networks? What are their technological capabilities mere reconnaissance or more dangerous espionage-grade payloads?
Whatever the origins, one thing is clear: the era of low-cost, unmanned aerial systems has dramatically changed the calculus of national security. For analysts, policy makers and citizens alike, the priority must be vigilance and a readiness to adapt to threats that are invisible, elusive, and evolving fast.