The arms manufacturer Rheinmettal justified this Monday this agreement with the operator Deutsche Telekom by the increase in “hybrid threats linked to sabotage and drone activity”.
The arms manufacturer Rheinmetall and the operator Deutsche Telekom announced this Monday, May 11, that they wanted to jointly develop a “defense shield” against drones and acts of sabotage targeting cities and critical infrastructures in Germany, in a context of increased threats attributed in particular to Russia.
Germany and other European countries have faced an increase in unidentified drone overflights in recent years, sometimes over sensitive infrastructure such as military installations, power plants, ports and airports.
“The current geopolitical situation has placed greater emphasis on the protection of critical infrastructure” and has led to an increase in “hybrid threats linked to sabotage and drone activity,” explains Rheinmetall in a press release.
The “highly digital” threat of drones
The two groups intend to develop technologies capable of countering a wide range of attacks against these sensitive sites, in a so-called “multi-threat” approach, including cybersecurity and physical protection of installations. The precise terms of cooperation remain vague for the moment.
“The threat posed by drones is highly digital. This is why an effective defense requires a combination of sensors, effectors and secure communication networks,” explained Armin Papperger, Chairman of the Board of Management of Rheinmetall, in the press release.
The defense group, active in short-range systems used in particular in Ukraine and the Middle East, has already concluded a partnership in 2025 with the Hamburg authorities for the anti-drone protection of the port of the Hanseatic city.
For his part, Tim Höttges, boss of Deutsche Telekom, affirms that the operator intends to “raise anti-drone defense to a new level” thanks to its skills in connectivity, cloud and data analysis. Since 2017, Deutsche Telekom has been working with the authorities on anti-drone security and has notably detected illegal flights during Euro 2024 football.
