Investigators find additional drone and explosives at Leipzig Airport

The background to the current find is a drone incident that had affected operations at Leipzig/Halle Airport in recent days. The airport's southern runway was already closed on Wednesday due to scheduled maintenance work, according to airport sources.

Background of the incident

At the same time, the debate over the security equipment of German airports is intensifying. The CEO of the airport association ADV, Ralph Beisel, explained to NDR that seven major airports have been waiting for months for systems to detect and defend against drones that the Federal Interior Ministry had promised. „Auf die vom Innenministerium zugesagte Ausstattung mit Systemen zur Detektion und Abwehr von Drohnen warten die Flughäfen Berlin, München, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Leipzig/Halle und Köln/Bonn allerdings noch", Beisel told the broadcaster.

The delay in the delivery of the drone defense systems raises questions about airspace security at key German transport hubs. Just at the beginning of the month, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt had gone public with plans for a statutory drone defense. The now-known gaps in technical equipment contradict these announcements.

Criticism over missing drone defense

At Leipzig/Halle Airport itself, security measures were increased after the incident. Police forces were more heavily present in the area of the airport; flights largely took place on schedule according to the airport. Travelers were informed of possible restrictions via loudspeaker and posted notices.

According to information from NDR and WDR, the investigations are being conducted by a joint investigation section of the police and the public prosecutor's office. Whether a political background or foreign involvement – for example in the context of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine – is being examined was initially unclear. Russia and Ukraine are mentioned several times as points of reference in the research, without this having been officially confirmed so far.

The airport association ADV has long been calling for the prompt equipping of airports with detection and defense technology. Beisel pointed out that airports in eastern Germany in particular play a special role as hubs in drone defense due to their proximity to the eastern external borders of the European Union. The federal government must now promptly deliver the promised systems, otherwise there will remain a gap that can hardly be closed in an emergency.

The Federal Police and the Federal Interior Ministry could not be reached for a statement on Wednesday evening. The authorities also did not comment on possible travel effects beyond Wednesday. Should the suspicion of a targeted use of drones with explosives expand, this would be – according to aviation security experts – a new qualitative leap in the threat situation for German airports.

Investigations and political dimension

The southern runway was not scheduled for flight operations on Wednesday anyway, which, according to the airport, helped maintain the flight schedule despite the ongoing operation.

The incidents do not cease.

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Further details on the new finds at Leipzig Airport and possible connections to earlier incidents are still being reviewed, according to the participating editorial teams.

Impact on flight operations

The airport association had already pushed in recent weeks for the prompt equipping of airports with drone defense technology and at the same time pointed to significant delivery delays in the systems promised by the federal government.

A spokesperson for the Federal Interior Ministry initially did not wish to comment on the specific incidents at Leipzig/Halle Airport and referred to ongoing investigations.

The federal government had recently acknowledged a tightening of the aviation security situation with regard to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and possible espionage activities.

Should the suspicion of a targeted use of drones with explosives be substantiated, this would be – according to security experts – a new qualitative leap in the threat situation for German airports.