The chair of the Bundestag’s Defence Committee, Thomas Röwekamp (CDU), has urged the Bundeswehr to secure combat drones as quickly as possible. He also dismissed worries about the start‑up Stark Defence stemming from its association with Trump‑era investor Peter Thiel, calling those concerns “unfounded”.
Röwekamp noted that questions remain about the price, quantity and technical capability of the drones the Ministry has suggested, but assured that these can be settled through the normal parliamentary procedures.
He stressed that the procurement is urgent: Germany needs drone capability to counter Russia’s daily warfare in Ukraine and, particularly, to protect the brigade currently being built in Lithuania. For this reason, he said it is appropriate to award the contract directly to companies that have commercially viable offers. “The shareholding details of individual contractors are of secondary importance because an American investor’s involvement is very limited” he added.
According to the Defence and Budget Committees, the next week the Bundestag is expected to approve orders worth roughly €600 million for loitering‑munition (kamikaze) drones from two domestic startups, Stark Defence and Helsing, which will likely lead to follow‑on contracts.
Not everyone is pleased with the deal. Critics point out that Stark Defence’s drones are reportedly much more expensive than Helsing’s and that the systems have not yet reached full maturity. There is also pressure over Thiel’s ties to former U.S. President Donald Trump and his political circles.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) said on Tuesday, during a troop visit, that he shared “explicit concerns” about Thiel’s involvement. He said the key issue is determining the extent of Thiel’s influence over Stark Defence. “If he has operational influence or any form of veto power, that raises different questions than if he merely holds a tiny stake and has no operational say” Pistorius said. He added that any remaining uncertainties should be resolved in the coming week.
