Germany recorded its highest number of drone sightings over military bases in October, with naval installations emerging as the primary target, according to a senior intelligence official.
"The Bundeswehr (armed forces) has critical infrastructure. At the moment, it is mainly the navy which is affected (by drone sightings) among the branches of the military," Torsten Akmann, vice president of Germany's military intelligence service BAMAD, told Reuters.
Akmann declined to provide specific figures or explain the apparent shift in focus toward naval facilities.
The pattern marks a change from earlier incidents. Previously, drones appeared most frequently over army and air force bases, including sites where Ukrainian troops receive training. In January, German police opened an investigation into suspected Russian espionage after drones were detected over several military bases in Bavaria.
Germany operates the largest Western navy in the Baltic region. The Baltic Sea has gained strategic importance for NATO since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine prompted Sweden and Finland to join the alliance. Russia's Baltic fleet operates from the Kaliningrad exclave.
The naval base at Wilhelmshaven on the North Sea serves as the Bundeswehr's largest garrison. The facility handles fleet repairs and maintenance and plays a central role in operations across the North and Baltic Seas.
Open sea routes through the Baltic Sea represent a vital supply corridor for NATO, potentially serving as the only lifeline to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania if the narrow land corridor connecting them to Poland were cut off during any conflict with Russia.
Germany inaugurated a multinational naval headquarters in 2024 to strengthen NATO's operational readiness in the region. The facility can direct NATO operations in the Baltic Sea during wartime.
The drone activity extended beyond military sites. On the night of 3 October, unidentified drones near Munich Airport forced a temporary shutdown. Authorities cancelled 17 flights and diverted 15 others to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna and Frankfurt. Less than 24 hours later, the airport closed again due to drone sightings.
Drones were also detected in the Schleswig-Holstein region. Local officials suspected the aircraft deliberately targeted critical infrastructure.
