An alarm was sounded last night at the NATO base in Giallenkirchen, Northern Rhine-Westphalia, when, according to exclusive information in the magazine Der spiegela suspected unmanned aircraft was found within the ban on flights around the base.

According to the magazine, the unknown drone identity was flying shortly after 19:00 (local time) and for about a minute at a low height above the air base corridor, from which the Awacs IDs of the Alliance take off. The police, whose responsibility is the defense against the drones, was immediately informed, but it was not possible to determine the details of the unmanned aircraft.

A base spokesman today confirmed that, after a drone was found by a sensor system, the area was thoroughly investigated, but nothing suspicious was found. But because of the current ‘Increased sensitivity’each drone report is taken seriously, he added, and did not exclude the possibility of ‘Incorrect alarm’.

NATO’s base in Gaillenkirchen in Germany plays an important role in monitoring the Eastern wing of NATO. There, there are many of the AWACS IDs, which the alliance uses to monitor the airspace on the east side of NATO, from which they often invade suspicious drones. Due to its importance, the base is one of the military sites which German Armed Forces protect intensively, Among other things with sensor systems that can even detect small drones. Defensive systems, however, have a relatively small business range, therefore only suitable for protecting the base itself.

The Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius (SPD) today warned that excessive expectations should not be cultivated in view of the amendment of the Air Force Law to improve the protection against drones. “There is no 100% protection from drones, nowhere in the world”, The minister said and clarified that although Bundeswehr has appropriate systems for detecting and dealing with drones, they are not available nationally. According to the new legislation, federal police will now have the authorization to even dispel a drone, provided that it is considered dangerous. At present, action is permitted against drones only over military space.