Bundestag Cuts Funding for Kamikaze Drones for German Army

The Bundestag has approved the purchase of kamikaze drones for Germany’s armed forces, but reduced the amount of funding that was originally planned.

According to Deutsche Welle, the budget committee approved the decision on Wednesday, February 25.

Lawmakers also gave the green light to purchase the first batch of these drones from two companies.

Initially, around €4.4 billion had been earmarked for this purpose, but the amount was reduced to €2 billion – €1 billion for each manufacturer.

Contracts for the supply of kamikaze drones will be awarded to two young German defense companies – Stark Defence and Helsing.

Initially, each company is expected to receive roughly equal shares – €268.6 million and €267.7 million respectively. With these funds, the companies will produce several thousand UAVs. Future procurement rounds will also require approval by the Bundestag.

Previously, German media reported that defense giant Rheinmetall could later receive a contract to supply its drones to the Bundeswehr.

Kamikaze drones for the German Army

A total production of around 12,000 kamikaze drones is planned. Their acquisition would mark a significant step for the German armed forces, which previously did not have this type of weapon in their arsenal.

The drones in question include the Virtus by Stark Defence, the HX-2 by Helsing, and the recently unveiled FV-104 by Rheinmetall.

The first drones will be delivered to servicemen of Germany’s 45th Panzer Brigade, which the Bundeswehr plans to fully equip by the end of 2027. The brigade is stationed in Lithuania, which borders Russia.

Meanwhile, the planned delivery model is rather unusual: only part of the ordered drones will be transferred directly to the troops. Most will initially remain with the manufacturers to receive continuous software and hardware updates.