The German Bundeswehr is getting its first drone regiment, responding to the lessons learned from the war in Ukraine. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius made the announcement last week at the Bergen military training area in Lower Saxony.
“Anyone who wants to prevail on land must master combat with unmanned systems,”
he said. The unit is scheduled to be established in the course of 2027.
The new UxS regiment is intended to combine reconnaissance, strike capabilities, and the interception of enemy drones. It is designed to cover ranges from close-in distances up to 500 kilometers. To do so, it will use aerial systems as well as unmanned ground vehicles. A dedicated company will handle electronic warfare, i.e., jamming enemy radio and radar signals. In addition, the regiment is set to receive kamikaze drones. This so-called loitering munition is currently being tested and is scheduled to be deployed to the troops next year.
According to the German news magazine Spiegel, five companies are planned: one for short-range attacks, one for medium ranges of up to several hundred kilometers, two for drone defense and electronic warfare, and one for testing and new developments.
Army Inspector Lieutenant General Christian Freuding calls the timeline “ambitious,” but considers the build-up a military priority. Initial operational capability, with about 300 soldiers, is expected to be achieved by the end of 2027. After that, the regiment is set to grow to about 600. The location has not yet been determined. The search is on for a site where the unit can effectively train with drones. It has also not yet been decided which systems will be purchased. Decisions are expected to be made in the spring.
The regiment will become part of the 10th Armoured Division. As “Division 2025,” it is to be expanded into a large-scale unit with up to 30,000 soldiers. It will also include the 45th Armoured Brigade, which will be permanently stationed in Lithuania starting in 2027 and is to be equipped with its own drone defence system beforehand. If the regiment proves successful, the Army plans to introduce the model in other divisions as well. In addition, starting at the turn of the year 2026/27, three units from the light infantry, reconnaissance, and armored forces will begin deploying unmanned systems.
At the same time, Pistorius warned against drawing the wrong conclusions: A war between Russia and NATO would not simply unfold as it did in Ukraine. Drones complement tanks, aircraft, and warships, but do not replace them. As part of the “Experimental Series Land” in Bergen, the German Armed Forces are testing new technology in collaboration with industry. In this way, they no longer intend to rely solely on manufacturers’ specifications.
Source: militaer AKTUELL