“A drone is nothing more than a plane without a pilot,” Germany’s Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere told the daily “Die Welt” in an article on Saturday.
He said he that was in favour of the German armed forces using armed unmanned aircraft.
“Planes can be armed so why shouldn’t unmanned aircraft be allowed to be armed as well? I don’t understand that,” he added.
The newspaper cited de Maiziere as saying that UAS were nothing new, given that torpedoes and missiles also are unmanned.
Germany has been using three leased Israeli Herons for surveillance in Afghanistan. The defence ministry is considering buying the U.S. Predator B , which carry weapons and also have surveillance systems, for use from 2015.
Alternatively, it could buy the Heron successor model, the Heron TP, which is also armed. A decision is expected to be made in the autumn.
Photo: German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere (R) and Chief of Staff of the German Military General Volker Wieker inspect the Guard of Honour during a ceremony for new recruits in Berlin July 20, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Tobias Schwarz
Source: Reuters