From drones to automated weapons - How prepared are NATO troops for defense? | DW Documentary

Key Concepts

• NATO military maneuvers
• Hypersonic missiles (Kinjal, Zeicon)
• Drone warfare (reconnaissance, attack, countermeasures)
• Tank warfare (reactive armor, active protection systems, vulnerabilities)
• Artillery (HIMARS, electronic warfare)
• Air defense (Patriot, Arrow 3, Eurofighter, F-35)
• Stealth technology
• Artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare
• Autonomous weapon systems
• Deterrence strategy
• Frontline defense

Military Maneuvers and Posturing

• NATO is conducting military maneuvers with Russia as the hypothetical enemy.
• Russian warplanes frequently test NATO's airspace surveillance, engaging in provocative mock attacks.
• These encounters, reminiscent of the Cold War, occur over the Baltic and North Seas.
• Germany is training with allies in Lithuania to defend the EU's northeastern border.
• From 2026, a German tank brigade with approximately 5,000 soldiers will permanently secure NATO's eastern flank.
• NATO is practicing beach landings on the Baltic coast to deter conflict in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
• NATO's eastern flank stretches 3,000 km from North Cape, Norway, to Romania.

Hypersonic Missiles

• Russia uses Kinjal hypersonic missiles in the war against Ukraine, launched from warplanes.
• Theoretically, these missiles could hit targets in Europe if fired from over the North or Baltic Seas.
• In 2018, Vladimir Putin unveiled the Zeicon missile, designed to overcome air defenses.
• Experts question the Zeicon's maneuverability, stating that aerodynamic maneuvers cause it to lose speed and altitude.
• Hypersonic missiles are difficult to intercept due to their speed and maneuverability.
• NATO air defenses need to react quickly and require real-time satellite data.
• The US is testing its own Dark Eagle hypersonic systems, potentially stationed in Germany.
• Concerns exist that hypersonic missiles may reduce overall effectiveness due to cost and limited launch platforms.

Drone Warfare

• Drones are significantly influencing the course of the war in Ukraine.
• Even civilian devices like cell phones are used to report Russian tank positions.
• Ukrainian drones played a decisive role in the months following Russia's invasion.
• Russian forces adapted to HIMARS by deploying electronic equipment to divert missiles and prevent detonation.
• Russia is deploying more drones for reconnaissance and attacks on civilian targets.
• The Turkish-made Bayraktar drone is used in Ukraine.
• The Russian Orion can carry laser-guided missiles, but production is limited by Western sanctions.
• Anti-aircraft guns like those on the German Cheetah tank can reliably shoot down drones.
• Germany is making decommissioned Cheetah tanks operational again for Ukraine.
• NATO uses nets and electronic jamming devices like the drone buster to counteract drones.
• The Bundeswehr's drone defenses are considered lacking.

Tank Warfare

• The Ukraine conflict has questioned the central role of tanks in ground warfare.
• Russia has lost thousands of tanks, mainly due to drone and anti-tank missile attacks.
• American-made Javelin missiles inflicted heavy losses on Russian tank units by striking the weaker armor on the tank's turret.
• Tanks have gone from being predators to prey.
• Many modern armored units use reactive armor, which explodes incoming projectiles.
• Not all of Germany's tanks have reactive armor.
• Israel has developed the Trophy hard-kill protection system, which shoots down approaching anti-tank projectiles.
• The German Bundeswehr has only ordered a few Trophy systems.
• Russia's modernized T-90 tank can fire while traveling at full speed and has reinforced armor.
• The Shtora system uses lasers to protect against anti-tank missiles.
• Tanks alone are no longer decisive in a war.

Artillery and Electronic Warfare

• Artillery is playing a key role in the conflict in Ukraine.
• The US-made HIMARS system has a range of 80 km and high accuracy.
• Russian forces adapted to HIMARS by deploying electronic equipment to divert missiles and prevent detonation.
• Electronic warfare is used to divert missiles from their targets and prevent warhead detonation.

Air Defense

• The German Air Force's Eurofighter is considered a powerful but outdated weapon.
• The Eurofighter lacks stealth capabilities and is not well-adapted for targeting ground-based air defenses.
• Modern anti-aircraft missiles stationed in Kaliningrad pose a serious threat to the Eurofighter.
• The Eurofighter lacks the ability to interfere with enemy air defense fire control radar, requiring US support.
• The US squadron of F-16s stationed in Germany provides vital extra capabilities.
• Russia has fewer fighter planes than NATO, and most are outdated.
• The SU-35 is an advanced Russian aircraft that can track up to 30 targets simultaneously but lacks stealth.
• Germany has nine Patriot systems with four more on order, but more are needed for comprehensive air defense.
• The defended area of a Patriot system is small, approximately 50-60 km in diameter against Iskander missiles.
• Germany has purchased the Arrow 3 system from Israel to protect against long-range missiles.
• The Arrow 3 system is not integrable within the standard NATO air picture.
• The US has agreed to provide medium-range weapons to Germany in 2026, including modernized Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Stealth Technology and Modern Warplanes

• Modern warplanes like the US-made F-35 are likely to remain important for deterrence.
• The F-35 is a flying supercomputer with advanced sensors.
• Data processing and target prioritization will determine victory in aerial combat.
• The F-35's stealth design makes it difficult for enemy radar to detect.
• Russia also relies on stealth technology, with the SU-57 said to use innovative infrared technology.
• NATO's most modern aircraft, the F-35, has been operational in Norway since 2017.
• The German Air Force has ordered 35 F-35s.

Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Weapon Systems

• Future battlefields will rely more on artificial intelligence.
• AI algorithms may analyze images from tank sensors to identify hostile targets.
• Germany's Bundeswehr is testing unmanned vehicles.
• Self-driving tanks already exist, produced in Estonia and Israel.
• The US Army is training self-driving vehicles for commando units.
• Concerns exist about the role of humans in controlling autonomous weapon systems.
• In complex contexts, people will need to closely oversee decisions made by autonomous systems.
• Autonomous systems could mistake a school bus for a tank based on data points.

Deterrence and Frontline Defense

• Defensive strategies can send a clear signal to the enemy and contribute to security and war prevention.
• Germany's strategy focuses on frontline defense, similar to the Cold War.
• From 2026, a combat-ready German tank brigade will be stationed in Lithuania.
• The goal is to delay a Russian attack so that reinforcements can be brought in.
• The greatest amount of firepower and losses are expected in the first few hours of a conflict.
• NATO may not be capable of absorbing losses in the tens of thousands.
• Size of force will play a big role unless there is a nuclear conflict.

Conclusion

The German Bundeswehr faces major challenges in preparing for potential future wars. New weapons, including robots, drones, and AI, will play a significant role. However, investing in weapons technology alone is insufficient. Diplomacy and conflict prevention are crucial. The focus should be on a sophisticated defense force while recognizing the unimaginable suffering caused by modern warfare.