dpa/rtr/taz | The Bundeswehr wants to spend around 536 million euros on a first tranche of new combat drones. The framework agreements for the purchase with a total volume of more than 4.3 billion euros are to be concluded with the German companies Helsing and Stark, according to two submissions from the Ministry of Finance to the Budget Committee of the Bundestag, which were available to Reuters on Tuesday. The Budget Committee is expected to approve the deal shortly, which is considered certain. At first he had Spiegel reported.
The weapon systems are guided missiles that circle over a target area until an operator on the ground assigns them a target, which they then attack autonomously. The drones are initially intended to increase the combat power and protection of the 45th Armored Brigade in Lithuania. They are a central German contribution to deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank and are intended to close a gap in defense capability. According to the documents, the contracts with the two companies will have a term of seven years. Delivery of the first systems is scheduled to begin in 2026 and be completed by early 2027.
This leaves the company empty Rheinmetall who applied with their Raider model drone. The decision in favor of Stark Defense is explosive in that one of the company’s financiers US tech billionaire and Trump supporter Peter Thiel is also one of the founders of the Surveillance software company Palantir is.
Householders slow down laser weapon project
At the same time, there are concerns in the Bundestag’s budget committee about the planned award of contracts for the development of a laser weapon. A corresponding 25 million euro proposal from the Federal Ministry of Finance for the award to the arms companies Rheinmetall and MBDA was stopped by the budget holders, reported the portal “The Pioneer”. The committee confirmed to the German Press Agency that the MPs want a more comprehensive market review.
The estimated costs of the project were also pointed out. The Netherlands purchased a demonstrator with 100 kilowatts of power for 190 million euros. Germany wanted to develop a demonstrator with 60 kilowatts of power for 462 million euros, the dpa was told.
Green budget politician Sebastian Schäfer told “The Pioneer”: “We have information that other companies may be able to provide more services for less money.” He also expressed fundamental criticism. There are many armaments projects about which big question marks could be raised. “The industry happily distributes the profits to each other and the taxpayers of the future can then pay for it.”
Laser weapons are particularly suitable for defending against drones. In reality, however, they are very far removed from examples from science fiction films such as “Star Wars”.
Rheinmetall and MBDA Germany are working together to make progress in their laser weapons business. The companies have been cooperating since 2019, and a demonstrator – a laser weapon in the testing stage – was developed together. The product should be ready for the market and therefore ready for regular use from 2029 onwards.