German Ports Demand Consequences After Drone Incident

German port operators are urging for enhanced security measures to protect against drone attacks, a call amplified by a recent incident at Leipzig Airport.

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The current incident shows that there is still a security-relevant gap between the detection of a drone and its actual defense.

The Central Association of German Sea Port Operations (ZDS) stated that current regulations, despite recent improvements, are insufficient to counter the real-world threat posed by drones. Florian Keisinger, the association's managing director, highlighted a critical security gap: the time between detecting a drone and successfully neutralizing it.

"In a hybrid attack, there are often only 60 to 90 seconds to react. By the time the responsible authorities can intervene, a drone has often already disappeared or completed its mission," Keisinger explained. He stressed the need to close this gap by explicitly including seaports as critical infrastructure in national drone defense strategies.

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In a hybrid attack, there are often only 60 to 90 seconds to react. By the time the responsible authorities can intervene, a drone has often already disappeared or completed its mission.

The ZDS is advocating for legal certainty regarding the use of defense systems and clear delineation of responsibilities among port operators, state and federal police, and the military. They argue that seaports should be granted the same protections as airports against drones. Furthermore, they seek guaranteed funding for modern detection and defense technology and inclusion in the national overview of hybrid threats.

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This gap must be closed.

"Anyone who takes supply security, the protection of critical infrastructure, and military mobility seriously must equip the major German seaports with effective drone defense systems as quickly as possible and ensure effective protection against drones," Keisinger asserted, emphasizing the ports' role in national security architecture.

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Anyone who takes supply security, the protection of critical infrastructure, and military mobility seriously must equip the major German seaports with effective drone defense systems as quickly as possible and ensure effective protection against drones.