Drones in the sky: Germany probes alleged espionage flights over Ramstein base
In recent weeks, drones have been spotted over key facilities in Germany, including the Ramstein military base. The site Spiegel.de reports that German security services are investigating these incidents as potential espionage activities. The American military has confirmed these incidents.
14 December 2024 09:23
At the beginning of December, drones were noticed over the American military base at Ramstein in Germany (state of Rhineland-Palatinate). According to a report by German security services, cited by Spiegel.de, unmanned machines flew over the complex on the evenings of 3 and 4 December. The Ramstein base is a key operational centre for US forces in Europe.
Drones over important facilities in Germany
However, these are not the only such incidents. Unmanned aerial vehicles flew over the Rheinmetall defence industry plants and the chemical production giant BASF. Despite intensive searches, the drone operators could not be immediately identified.
The American military confirmed the entire incident to the German weekly, noting that it did not affect the functioning of the American base or the safety of its residents. "We therefore keep an eye on suspicious activities at all times and work closely with the relevant security authorities," added the spokeswoman for the American base in Germany.
German authorities have been investigating the incidents for months as possible espionage activities. In the summer, similar flying devices were seen over the chemical park in Brunsbüttel. The prosecutor's office in Flensburg launched an investigation due to suspected "espionage activity for sabotage purposes," and the Bundeswehr was also notified. Last week, this topic was discussed at the conference of interior ministers in Brandenburg, but no agreement on further actions was reached.
