Germany plans protective shield against drone and cyber attacks

Germany is planning a comprehensive protective shield to prevent attacks like the failed assault on Leipzig airport, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Sunday.

On August 4, several small drones targeted Leipzig-Halle Airport in eastern Germany, with one hitting a parked plane, while another is thought to have struck an inbound cargo jet.

German intelligence agencies blamed Russia for the incident, which Moscow has denied.

What did Dobrindt say about the shield?

Dobrindt told Bild am Sonntag newspaper that Russia's hybrid attacks are now a "daily" reality, adding: "These attacks will increase, but we can defend ourselves and protect ourselves."

Bild cited information from the Interior Ministry showing the government plans to expand the federal police's mobile drone-defense units.

The measures include vehicles and helicopters that can be quickly deployed to protect airspace over key cities like Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin to counter drone attacks.

Bild said the shield would not only intercept drones, but could also defuse drone bombs and other explosive devices.

The newspaper described how a change in the law would allow critical infrastructure operators — including water, power and defense companies — to detect and defend against drone sabotage.

New tech planned to boost cyber security

Bild also described how a national protective cyber shield would be set up to detect and intercept hacking attacks.

The measure comes amid hundreds of cyberattacks on government departments, infrastructure and companies each day, many of them blamed on Russia, other states and criminal gangs.

The newspaper said the government ⁠also wants to increase the use of AI, biometric facial recognition ⁠and video surveillance, especially at transport hubs, to identify suspected attackers before they carry out attacks.

Over 1,000 drone sightings in 2025

The head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch, told Bild in December that more than a thousand suspicious drone flights were recorded over Germany last year.

These incidents mostly targeted military sites, airports, ports and defense firms and were treated as surveillance or harassment, rather than attacks.

Leipzig airport has been targeted by sabotage before. In July 2024, a suspected Russian incendiary parcel caught fire at the airport's DHL hub.

The cargo hub is also utilized by the Ukrainian military and NATO to airlift arms for use in the Ukrainian defense against Russia's invasion.