German army moves ahead with one billion contract for kamikaze drones
(MENAFN) Germany’s Defense Ministry is moving forward with drone procurement deals worth about €900 million ($1.05 billion), even though several of the systems under consideration reportedly failed important field evaluations or were never tested, according to reports released on Friday.
The planned contracts involve three domestic defense companies — Stark, Helsing, and Rheinmetall — as part of an effort to strengthen the Bundeswehr’s drone and unmanned strike capabilities, according to reports.
However, defense insiders cited in local media described serious issues during a test session in late October at a training site near Munster. Two of Stark’s drones allegedly missed their targets entirely, with one landing more than 150 meters off course and another crashing into nearby trees. Meanwhile, Rheinmetall, a major arms producer that recently entered the drone industry, reportedly did not take part in the evaluation at all.
As reported, Stark — a company established in late 2024 and funded by investors such as Peter Thiel, Sequoia Capital, and NATO’s Innovation Fund — had also participated in recent British Army trials in Kenya, where its drones similarly failed to hit their marks.
“It was a disaster for Stark,” one source briefed on the German trials said. “They’ve been overselling [their capabilities] and are now paying the price.”
Despite these setbacks, both Stark and Rheinmetall were reportedly chosen to receive contracts worth €300 million each, just days after the failed tests. While the deals still require final parliamentary approval, further testing is expected before completion.
This procurement initiative is viewed as part of a broader European Union strategy to accelerate defense expansion under the pretext of preparing for possible conflict with Russia — a claim Moscow has rejected as misleading and intended to divert attention from Europe’s domestic challenges.
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