In an underground command post near the Belarusian border, masked Bundeswehr soldiers steer an upgraded DJI Mini drone. The device reaches speeds of up to 130 km/h and has a range of ten kilometers. Army Inspector Christian Freuding observed the exercise and later said: “Day by day we are making progress with drone operations – but there is still plenty of room for improvement.”
First major exercise of the Brigade
Around 2,900 soldiers and 800 vehicles are taking part in the exercise “Freedom Shield.” Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called the brigade a “lighthouse project of the Zeitenwende.” Full operational readiness with 5,000 troops is to be achieved by the end of 2027 – for the first time in Bundeswehr history, a complete brigade will be permanently stationed abroad.
Despite state-of-the-art equipment and attractive pay, the brigade’s staffing is lagging. The exercises revealed a need for improvement, especially in drones and electronic warfare. Soldiers specializing in electromagnetic warfare are already considered the new elite of the force.
EuroPulse reported on June 11, 2026, about a Bundeswehr general’s assessment that Russia could attack NATO by 2029 (read article).
Source: www.zeit.de
