{"id":30325,"date":"2018-05-31T01:56:06","date_gmt":"2018-05-31T01:56:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/05\/31\/berlin-nears-its-first-ever-combat-drone-minus-the-weapons\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:30:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:30:39","slug":"berlin-nears-its-first-ever-combat-drone-minus-the-weapons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/unmanned\/2018\/05\/31\/berlin-nears-its-first-ever-combat-drone-minus-the-weapons\/","title":{"rendered":"Berlin nears its first-ever combat drone \u2013 minus the weapons"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

COLOGNE, Germany \u2014 Government leaders are close to winning parliamentary approval for the country\u2019s first weapons-capable drone<\/a>, pitching a plan this week to lease the aircraft now and negotiate for the missiles later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the plan had been in the works for months, Bundestag staffers in Berlin were nevertheless relieved to see the defense ministry stick to its promise of forgoing a fully armed aircraft at this time. That is because many here are still skeptical of the weapons as legitimate instruments of war or counterterrorism operations, roles in which U.S. forces have used them for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government\u2019s funding petition arrived at the Bundestag in the form of a so-called \u20ac25-million request. Its approval would enable the defense ministry the spend roughly $1 billion on the program. Given that the investment would without any strike capabilities, observers say passage is likely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plan is to lease five aircraft from manufacturer Israel Aerospace Industries, managed by Airbus under a contract to be finalized in June. The fleet would be stationed in Israel and, lacking missiles, simply provide intelligence for German forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The likely deal comes one year later than defense leaders had planned. A similar request fell through in June 2017 after the governing Christian Democractic Party\u2019s coalition partner, the Social Democrats, walked away because of what they said was a last-minute inclusion of a \u201cweapons-ready\u201d configuration of the Heron-TP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawmakers must now decide on the program before June 15, when the contractors\u2019 offer terms expire. If parliament gives the thumbs-up, an industry contract would be signed as well as an intergovernmental agreement with Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\t