The German army is seeking to rapidly expand its use of drones and unmanned weapons systems, Inspector General Christian Freuding said on Friday, as he attended the first military exercises held by a new German unit stationed in Lithuania.
The 45th Armoured Brigade, formally commissioned last year, is taking part in NATO's Freedom Shield 2026 exercises at the Pabradė training ground, north-east of Vilnius, deploying 350 drones.
Freuding was shown command posts and operational concepts for drone deployment, stating that coordination between armoured units and drone operators is of "utmost importance" for the German military, the Bundeswehr.
For the manoeuvres on NATO's eastern flank, around 2,900 soldiers - including 2,300 from Germany - and around 800 vehicles from eight member states have been assembled at Pabradė, located around 20 kilometres from the border with Belarus.
The armoured brigade in Lithuania was pledged by the German government in response to the growing threat from Russia.
It is to be fully operational as a combat formation by 2027, with a total strength of 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian staff. Around 1,800 personnel are currently stationed in Lithuania.
