“Best possible protection”
Lambrecht wants to procure combat drones
02/06/2022, 11:58 am
Armed drones have long been criticized. Because people can be killed in a targeted manner from a long distance. However, Minister Lambrecht is now pushing for the purchase of so-called combat drones. She does not want to ignore the “ethical questions”.
Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht from the SPD wants to procure armed drones during this election period. “The MPs send the soldiers into operations. The best possible protection must be guaranteed,” she told the Funke media group. However, this should not be about autonomous weapon systems, but always and ultimately people have to decide.
“If this is guaranteed, then armed drones can serve to protect the soldiers,” Lambrecht continued. It is your job to ensure that they are procured before the end of this electoral term. Whether and where the weapon system will be used is always decided by parliament, the minister emphasized.
“Consider all ethical issues”
“Rules of engagement that take all ethical issues into account” are necessary. These must be “crystal clear” that it is about reconnaissance and protection and not about autonomous warfare or the targeted killing of suspected terrorists.
The coalition agreement between the SPD, Greens and FDP states that the acquisition of armed drones for the Bundeswehr will be made possible – “under binding and transparent conditions and taking into account ethical and security policy aspects”. When they are deployed, the rules of international law apply; “We reject extrajudicial killings – including by drones.”