The Bundestag has given the green light for equipping the Bundeswehr with armed drones.
After the defense committee, the budget committee also approved the project on Wednesday, the defense ministry said.
The plan to use the new Heron TP drone not only as a reconnaissance system, but also with missiles, was politically controversial for years.
She was "more than happy, because it is a decision to protect the soldiers," said the chairwoman of the defense committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP).
“A drone clears things up.
However, the one who leads it must also be able to use it to protect the troops on the ground.
Arming drones is essential for this, and an armed drone is particularly good at that.”
The Ministry of Defense intends to fully arm the Israeli-made drones, including training and procurement of ammunition.
"The order volume amounts to a total of around 152.61 million euros," the ministry had informed the defense politicians in a letter.
The armament can only be carried out with the "Special Payload" ammunition developed in Israel, the procurement and export of which must be approved by the Israeli government.
The purchase of armed drones had already been decided in principle by the former federal government made up of Union and SPD.
At the end of 2020, however, the SPD had refused to agree to arming the drones.
After that, the project desired by the Bundeswehr was put on hold.
However, after the 2021 federal election, the traffic light parties SPD, Greens and FDP agreed in their coalition agreement that they would be purchased during this legislative period.
Criticism came from the left chairwoman Janine Wissler.
"Armament seems to be the central project of the traffic light government," said Wissler.
Unfortunately, the SPD has given up resistance to armed drones.
"The armament of the drones does not serve to protect life, but has the purpose of killing pre-programmed."