Germany prepares plans to defend its airspace in event of attack

Arndt Schoenemann, Chair and Chief Executive of DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung, the body that controls Germany's airspace, has said that Germany is drawing up plans to prepare its airspace swiftly in case the country needs to defend itself against aggression.

Germany operates one of the busiest airspaces in the world and it would have to be closed if the country or another NATO ally came under attack.

Schoenemann acknowledged that airlines and airports still do not treat such a scenario seriously enough.

"We are working currently with the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Transport on a requirement catalogue to be prepared for a defence case. There are three levels of defence. The first level is that there is only a threat. The second level is that we have a NATO Article 5 defence case, and the third case is the defence of the country," Arndt Schoenemann said in a comment to Euronews.

Schoenemann added that different criteria and requirements are being developed for each of the three cases.

One of the main challenges for DFS, he noted, is that many civil operators do not grasp the potential need to change priorities temporarily to ensure military mobility.

"Airlines or civil airlines or airports are far away from thinking that we may enter into such a scenario where we have military activities in the country. And this is something we need to work on, that they exactly know what's going on in case the airspace will be closed and so on," he added.

DFS is running briefing sessions to explain what measures may be taken. Another issue is funding the technology needed to keep operations running smoothly.

Schoenemann also pointed to a rise in hybrid attacks, particularly drone incursions, affecting DFS operations. However, he dismissed any suggestion of shooting down drones near airports, warning it could endanger aircraft waiting for landing clearance.

German authorities have repeatedly warned that drones pose a security threat after a series of incursions near airports and military facilities this year.

The German government has approved amendments to the Federal Police Act to enable police to counter drones more effectively.