The Ministry of defence in a report to the Bundestag, insistently for the arming of the Bundeswehr drones. This “would be equivalent to today’s realities, and is urgently needed,” reads the 21-page paper, which was sent on Friday to the members of Parliament and the German press Agency. “Armed drones will not only increase the safety and responsiveness of our own forces and those of our partners in the use, they can also contribute significantly to the protection of the civilian population and civilian facilities on site.”
The German armed forces for operations in Afghanistan and Mali, each with three reconnaissance drones of the type Heron-1. A change to larger and more modern Heron TP is provided from 2021 onwards. This model can be used not only for observation of enemies, but also to bear arms. In the coalition agreement of the CDU and the SPD, it is provided that a parliamentary decision on arming can only be carried out after “extensive international legal, constitutional and ethical assessment”.
This debate has led the Ministry of defence with a series of events and moves in with the report on the balance sheet. “The report should serve as a basis for the forthcoming parliamentary referral and decision-making”, writes the Ministry. The SPD sees the need for advice. The report could only be a first step, said the Deputy group chief Gabriela Heinrich. “We have prepared hard and mandatory criteria that must be met,” she said.
