German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned that Berlin needs to improve its defense capabilities against drone threats, but be careful not to fall into the "escalating trap" that Russian President Vladimir Putin could set.
His speech was published in German newspapers on October 5, in the context of a series of flights at Munich airport being canceled due to the appearance of strange UAVs, causing more than 10,000 passengers to be stranded.
Authorities have not yet identified the culprit, but many European officials believe that Russia could be behind recent mysterious air encroachments and aviation activities. Mr. Pistorius commented: "Mr. Putin knows Germany very well", recalling the time when the Russian President was a KGB agent in East Germany in the 1980s.
Pistorius said Germany needs to have a comprehensive view of all security threats, not just limiting it to drone dealing. He gave an example of multiple forest fires or power outages occurring simultaneously in different areas - signs that could be related to a mixed-use attack strategy. He stressed that data from all such events must be focused on one focal point to accurately assess the national security situation.
The Minister also called for strengthening the role of the state in protecting important defense industry companies. Enterprises that hold key technologies need to be protected, he said. I believe that the state needs to hold a stake to ensure knowledge and jobs are retained in the country.
Regarding the new-generation FCAS fighter project between Germany, France and Spain, Mr. Pistorius warned that Berlin could withdraw if there is no clear consensus among the three sides. He said he would discuss with the French and Spanish defense ministers as soon as the French government was stable, while affirming that the Prime Minister and he shared the same view that the final decision must be made this year.
Mr. Pistorius also sent a message to Washington in response to rumors of an invalidation policy on F-35 fighters a US- Designed security software that disables or limits the operation of the aircraft in certain cases. If this were true, the US would lose its reputation and cost its defense industry, he said.
