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Germany’s army is to establish a dedicated drone regiment as experiments with autonomous systems take lessons from Ukraine’s combat experience.
The new unit, to be formed in 2027, will bring together capabilities and systems for reconnaissance and combat as well as the interception of adversary systems, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Oct. 1.
Germany’s military has been experimenting with a range of autonomous systems for several years, but now the military wants to put them to use with a regiment initially sized at 300 troops and to double in size later.
“To prevail on the land, we must use unmanned systems,” Pistorius told journalists at the Bergen military ranges where the military has been performing trials.
The regiment will combine uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) with ground-based platforms and also feature electronic warfare capabilities.
Pistorius said the regiment would work closely with industry to further develop systems, tailor them to requirements, and help accelerate the introduction of uncrewed systems across the rest of the German military.
The creation of the independent drone regiment is part of a broader two-prong approach to integrate uncrewed systems into the German army, which also includes integrating new systems into existing units and formations.
“Through all of this—and this is the standard we set for ourselves—we are increasing the speed of development,” Pistorius said.
The announcement comes days after the U.S. Department of Defense revealed it would create an Autonomous Warfare Command dedicated to building and providing autonomous capabilities across the U.S. military.
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