Germany will equip its Bundeswehr army with "kamikaze drones," a type of weapon that plays a key role in Russia's war in Ukraine, Defense Ministry spokesman Mitko Müller said today.
"Two contracts have been signed" for the delivery of these drones loaded with explosives that self-destruct upon hitting their target, Miller said at a regular press conference, declining to name the suppliers.
According to German media, these are two companies specializing in defense artificial intelligence, Helsing and Stark, founded by German entrepreneurs and among the best known in the sector.
The German army, which is currently undergoing forced modernization, still does not have these weapons, which military experts describe as "loitering ammunition."
The orders are for "quantities that allow them to be tested in practice" to gain experience in their use, before they are finally integrated into the Bundeswehr arsenal, a ministry spokesman said.
"It's clear that a human being makes the decision whether to use a weapon or not," he said when asked about the autonomy left to these high-tech machines.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced the delivery of 4.000 Helsing drones to Ukraine at the end of November.
The sophisticated aircraft can operate at a range of 30 to 40 kilometers on Russian territory to "attack combat points and logistics hubs," he said.
In a deeply pacifist Germany since the horrors of Nazism, the use of armed drones and automated weapons systems for attack has long remained controversial.
Only after the Russian attack on Ukraine in late February 2022 did a turnaround occur.
The Bundeswehr has several types of unmanned aerial vehicles, including the Israeli-made "Heron", which are used for reconnaissance and force protection, according to the German military's website.
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