Lyce · Hybrid Watch

hw_83a595067e5ac36e

Manching Military Airfield and military installations in Bavaria subject to drone‐incursions.

In mid-January 2025 German police announced they are investigating several unauthorised drone over-flights of military installations in Bavaria, including at the large Manching defence airfield known for test and training activity and a facility at Neuburg an der Donau. The Bavarian State Office of Criminal Investigation stated that while the operators remain unidentified, the pattern suggests espionage or reconnaissance by foreign actors in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The incident underscores that German military infrastructure, even deep inside the country and not near the Russian border, is part of the hybrid-warfare environment. Germany also noted that other similar drone flights had taken place over critical infrastructure including LNG-terminals, seaports and logistics hubs, broadening the threat surface. The German federal police (Bundeskriminalamt) had previously warned in December 2024 of possible “agent activity for sabotage purposes” linked to such flights.

Occurrence
2025-01-13
Publication
2025-01-12T23:00:00Z
First observed
2026-09-24T06:09:10.079Z
Review status
Not assessed
Countries
DE
Updated
2026-10-02T16:30:09.889Z

E/M/R/S scores

  • EExistence0/4 · Not assessed
  • MIntent0/4 · Not assessed
  • RRussian actor link0/4 · Not assessed
  • SRussian state responsibility0/4 · Not assessed

Facts

No facts

Sources

  1. Role
    discovery_lead
    Date
    2025-01-12T23:00:00Z

    In mid-January 2025 German police announced they are investigating several unauthorised drone over-flights of military installations in Bavaria, including at the large Manching defence airfield known for test and training activity and a facility at Neuburg an der Donau. The Bavarian State Office of Criminal Investigation stated that while the operators remain unidentified, the pattern suggests espionage or reconnaissance by foreign actors in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The incident underscores that German military infrastructure, even deep inside the country and not near the Russian border, is part of the hybrid-warfare environment. Germany also noted that other similar drone flights had taken place over critical infrastructure including LNG-terminals, seaports and logistics hubs, broadening the threat surface. The German federal police (Bundeskriminalamt) had previously warned in December 2024 of possible “agent activity for sabotage purposes” linked to such flights.