German Army to Start Training With New Attack Drones Next Month

German defense startups Helsing and Stark Defence are on track with the development of attack drones, including plans to start training Germany’s army on the equipment in November, according to the government.

“Both systems have achieved a comparable level of qualification,” the Defense Ministry in Berlin said Friday in an emailed statement. “In both cases, only minor work remains to be carried out.”

German lawmakers this year approved orders for attack drones from the two companies, valued at about €270 million each. They’re part of Germany’s effort to help strengthen the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s eastern flank and remake its forces in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Germany has eased government borrowing rules to fund a military expansion to build up the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest conventional army, spurred by US President Donald Trump’s wavering commitment to NATO.

Both firms are expected to ship the first drones to a German battle tank brigade deployed in Lithuania. Other European allies have also committed to help fortify NATO’s eastern flank.

The Defense Ministry structured the drone contracts to allow for flexibility to update products or cancel the deals if certain development milestones weren’t met. The milestone requirement remain valid and have been, or will shortly be, met by the companies, according to the ministry statement Friday.