Henning Otte, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces (CDU), stressed the need for soldiers to be equipped reliably and adequately, particularly in light of the plan to establish a new drone regiment. Otte told the “Rheinische Post” that drones and drone countermeasures are now a “critical component of modern national and allied defense.” Consequently, he viewed the decision to set up a dedicated drone regiment as a “logical step.”
His comments came in response to an announcement by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) that he intended to establish such a regiment for the first time.
Otte further argued that modern military forces require modern capabilities, noting that the battlefield is changing, and the Bundeswehr must adapt. While he acknowledged that the security situation is dictating the pace of change, the Commissioner emphasized that capabilities cannot exist merely on paper. He demanded that the government quickly convert political promises into “concrete capabilities and reliably available material” for the troops.
According to Otte, while new organizational structures provide direction, they are insufficient on their own. The armed forces must possess the systems and equipment that are genuinely necessary for their mission. He stated that “operational readiness” must be the ultimate measure.
