Germany has decided to incorporate mereousary ammunition, known as Kamikaze drones, its armed forces. The Ministry of Defense signed two contracts to acquire these systems, which have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in the battlefields of Ukraine, where both sides are frequently used. The official announcement came on Friday, April 4 and confirms a deep change in the German military strategy, traditionally reluctant to use automated offensive weapons.
The decision is part of the Bundeswehr modernization plan that started after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The objective: prepare the German army for high intensity war scenarios. As published this initiative is part of an unprecedented doctrinal transformation, fueled by advances in artificial intelligence and the urgency of dealing with hybrid and technologically advanced threats.
Ministry spokesman Mitko Müller explained that the first units will arrive in small number and will serve to make the Bundeswehr acquire operational experience before expanding its deployment. He also stressed that, despite the growing integration of the AI, the soldiers will continue to have the last word in the firing decisions, a delicate point in the debate on autonomous weapons.
The German press has identified Helsing and Stark Defense as the companies behind these developments. Both are based in Germany and are specialized in artificial intelligence applied to defense. His choice reinforces the government’s commitment to sovereign technological abilities and marks the course towards a more digital Bundeswehr, capable of dealing with conflicts where control of the electromagnetic spectrum and the reaction rate are decisive.
Among the Models acquired is the HX-2, developed by Helsing. It is a 12 kilos drone, with wings in X, silent electric motor and an autonomy of up to 100 kilometers. It can carry different types of explosive load – antitat, anti -infrastructure or multiple effect – and resists electronic interference, including no GPS connection. It allows launches in Swarm, coordinated by a single operator through the Altra platform, also created by Helsing.
Stark Defense, directed by former Helicopter pilot of the German army Florian Seibel, is developing attack drones with a higher level of autonomy. Although the technical details remain under reserve, the tests in Ukraine indicate that their devices can navigate, identify and attack objectives in a semi -autonomous way, even in environments without constant communications with a command center.
In parallel to the acquisition for the Army, the Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius, announced in November 2024 a request for 4,000 HX-2 drones to Ukraine. These units are designed for precise attacks about 40 kilometers behind the enemy lines and their deployment in combat has served as a real test bench for system capabilities.
Until now, Bundeswehr’s capabilities in drone matters were limited to non -armed surveillance platforms, such as Heron Israelis. The entry into the scene of merodeter ammunition is a jump of scale in terms of doctrine and capacities, and aligns Germany with other Western powers that have already adapted their armies to the demands of the electronic war and the remote attacks.
This movement is financed with the extraordinary fund of 100,000 million euros announced by Foreign Minister Olaf Scholz in 2022, whose objective is to correct years of deficiencies and place Germany in a position to fulfill its commitments within NATO.
