Germany Plans Procurement of 12,000 Strike Drones for Brigade in Lithuania
The German government plans to procure 12,000 one-way attack drones to arm a newly launched mechanized brigade stationed in Lithuania.
A total of 150 million euros (173 million) has been proposed for the acquisition from three domestic firms, with contract completion expected in 2025.
“To achieve full operational readiness of the brigade by 2027, the contract must be concluded in 2025 so that delivery can begin in 2026 and the necessary training can commence,” Hartpunkt quoted the parliamentary budget committee’s recommendation as saying.
Two of the firms — Helsing and Stark Defense — have already been commissioned for testing, while the third supplier is Rheinmetall, the German outlet reported.
In a separate report, the Financial Times noted that each company will receive 300 million euros ($346 million) for phased deliveries, with the initial phase covering 10,000 drones.
Half of the order will reportedly be produced by Helsing, with Stark responsible for a slight majority of the remaining deliveries through its Virtus drone.
The comparatively low cost of Helsing’s HX-2 drone is cited as the reason it secured the largest share of the order, whereas Rheinmetall’s newly introduced FV-104 represents the highest-priced offering.
The firms have expanded their drone production in recent months in anticipation of the contract.
Innovative Delivery
According to reports, only a portion of the order will be delivered directly to troops, with the majority remaining with the manufacturer for continuous software and hardware updates to keep the systems relevant.
The approach has proven effective in Ukraine’s ongoing war, where rapid innovation cycles lasting only a few weeks have made traditional warehousing impractical.
The decision to distribute contracts among three domestic firms is intended to mitigate program risk, with at least one system expected to stay relevant.
Moreover, awarding the contracts to domestic firms helps ensure Germany’s technological sovereignty.
The semi-autonomous systems are expected to offer an operational range of approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles), employing artificial intelligence for navigation and target acquisition, with humans retaining ultimate decision-making authority.
