German Bundestag passes air security law to strengthen drone defense and impose harsher penalties

The German Bundestag approved on 26 February 2026 a significant update to the Luftsicherheitsgesetz (Air Security Law) aimed at addressing growing drone threats over critical infrastructure, especially airports. The law streamlines the process for states to request Bundeswehr aid in drone defense, centralizing deployment authority within the Defense Ministry and allowing troops to shoot down drones only in extreme danger scenarios. The legislation introduces a new criminal offense with prison penalties up to five years for unauthorized entry into airport security zones that endanger civilian aviation, directly addressing protest disruptions such as those by the environmental group 'Letzte Generation'. The reforms respond to repeated incidents involving drone-related blockages and espionage concerns, seen as part of a wider