Germany’s Bundespolizei will expand its drone-defence unit to 300 personnel and double its network to eight locations after a drone carrying explosives was found at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt will issue the directive to strengthen protection for airports and other sensitive infrastructure, with the force expected to gain faster nationwide response capability.
The unit is still being built out after its creation in December 2025, when initial plans called for about 130 staff across several sites. The wider German security response to drones has included a joint counter-drone centre and broader legal powers for defensive measures, reflecting growing concern over aerial threats near aviation assets. The expansion is intended to place personnel closer to likely hotspots so interventions can be mounted more quickly and with greater flexibility on site.