The Bundeswehr is preparing defenses against Russian space interference, which is currently aimed particularly at German military installations in the Baltics. General Major Michael Traut, the commander of the Bundeswehr Space Command in Uedem, informed the “Tagesspiegel” that a mechanized brigade is currently deployed in Lithuania, relying on space-supported systems for navigation, communication, and reconnaissance-all of which are vulnerable to attack.
According to Traut, the planned investment of 35 billion euros through 2030 is crucial for countering these hybrid attacks. He stressed that maintaining the ability to use space without obstruction, while simultaneously denying that access to opponents, is indispensable for wartime capability. “If we fail to do this, we will lose, and very quickly,” Traut warned regarding future readiness.
Russia has been “very frequently” performing the disruptive operations that the German forces are tracking. While the military sees the threat from Moscow, they also believe that China possesses such capabilities, though China currently shows no perceived need for them. Both nations are currently demonstrating their kinetic and physical capacities in space. Observing Moscow’s activity, Traut stated that Russia “has set up its chess pieces and is waiting for NATO’s next move.”
To counteract these threats, Traut detailed plans for new acquisitions, including building a network of at least 200 small satellites dedicated to secure, state-level communications. He explained that this initiative would allow forces to prevent Russian surveillance satellites from capturing images of troops or ground infrastructure. These countermeasures will also include the deployment of laser and electromagnetic weapons.
