Net-launcher drones for the Bundeswehr: contract worth up to 1.1 billion euros

In future, unmanned aircraft are not only to be shot down but captured: to this end the Bundeswehr (the German Armed Forces) is procuring special net-launcher drones, the first of which are due to be delivered as early as 2027. According to reports in the German media, the choice has fallen on the A1-Falke, a product of the German manufacturer Argus Interception; the contract is said to be worth 1.1 billion euros.

The procurement contract was signed on 15 October by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw). One day earlier, the budget committee of the German Bundestag had already given its approval.

The reason is the growing threat posed by small and very small drones, which are increasingly being used to spy on military facilities or to attempt sabotage.

Capture net instead of shoot-down

The particular advantage of the new systems lies in how they work. Intruding drones are neither shot down nor electronically jammed, but caught with a fired net and then set down in a controlled manner at a predetermined point.

Especially in densely populated areas, this is intended to reduce the danger from drones crashing out of control and from their debris. In addition, the captured aircraft are preserved for later examination.

Target tracking largely automated

To detect and track potential threats, the net-launcher drones use both ground-based reconnaissance assets and their own on-board sensors. However, a target is only intercepted once an operator has authorised it.

Depending on the scenario, the systems either actively pursue intruding drones or are deployed along a fixed line of defence – which also allows fast-approaching targets to be intercepted.

The aircraft are not intended as a stand-alone solution; rather, they are meant to complement existing counter-drone capabilities, including in combination with detection radars and electronic jamming systems.

Net-launcher drones from Argus Interception as a billion-euro contract?

According to German press reports, the Bundeswehr has opted for the A1-Falke, a net-interceptor drone from Argus Interception. The reports put the contract volume at around 1.1 billion euros.

Officially, however, the Bundeswehr itself is reticent. When asked, a spokeswoman did not give the number of net-launcher drones actually to be procured. For reasons of military and operational security, she said, neither individual contract sums nor quantities could be commented on.

Use at home and abroad

The main aim is to protect Bundeswehr sites in Germany and abroad as well as locations of allied armed forces in Germany. The protection of critical infrastructure and sensitive events is also a possibility.

The procurement gives the Bundeswehr's counter-drone defence an additional method of interception. In future, the net-launcher drones could play an important role above all where a shoot-down would pose a considerable danger to bystanders.