Germany’s push to field a new generation of strike drones by 2029 is no longer moving at the breakneck pace officials once promised, but it is entering a more defined and politically sensitive phase. As the Luftwaffe refines a shortlist of candidates for a reusable uncrewed combat jet, the program is colliding with parallel deals for loitering munitions, scrutiny over investors, and a long record of hesitation on armed drones.
The emerging picture is of a country trying to move from latecomer to serious player in high-end uncrewed combat aviation, while wrestling with industrial politics and the fear of a capability gap if the fast-track effort slips further. The choices Germany makes over the next few years will shape not only the Luftwaffe’s strike options but also how much of that capability is built in Europe and how much is imported.
The fast-track jet that stopped sprinting
Berlin initially framed the hunt for a reusable strike drone as a rapid acquisition, designed to give the Luftwaffe a combat-ready uncrewed jet around 2029 and to plug an emerging gap between legacy aircraft and future systems. Reporting on the evolving shortlist describes a near term program with a tight schedule that was supposed to move faster than traditional fighter projects and give Germany a bridge capability before more ambitious initiatives arrive, yet the selection process has slowed as officials weigh technical risk, cost, and industrial returns for near term program. The Luftwaffe’s requirement centers on a jet powered uncrewed aircraft that can operate alongside crewed fighters, carry precision weapons, and survive in contested airspace, pushing Germany toward more advanced designs and turning the shortlist into a careful balancing act rather than a quick pick.
The fast-track label is further complicated by the broader context of Germany’s drone policy, which has long lagged behind peers and adversaries. Analysis of Berlin’s trajectory notes that Germany was a late adopter of armed unmanned systems and has only recently tried to reposition itself from laggard to potential trailblazer in the fighter bomber UAV category, with domestic and foreign companies such as INTEC, Kratos and Lockheed Martin competing for attention as Germany has long. The slowdown in the Luftwaffe’s shortlist therefore reflects not only technical due diligence but also a political system still adjusting to the idea of Germany as a significant operator and possibly exporter of high end strike drones.
Who is in the frame for the Luftwaffe
Within this more cautious tempo, the competition to supply the Luftwaffe is intensifying. Reporting on the program describes it as a German fast track effort to give the Luftwaffe a reusable strike drone and notes that the review has brought in multiple bidders, including partnerships with US firms such as Kratos Defense & Security Solutions that specialize in tactical uncrewed jets, as Berlin refines German fast track. The shortlist is understood to weigh competing concepts that range from relatively simple, lower cost aircraft to more sophisticated platforms that could eventually act as loyal wingmen for crewed fighters, with the Luftwaffe under pressure to pick a design that can be fielded quickly while still offering growth potential.
Strategically, the choice of supplier will signal how Germany wants to balance European and US industrial interests in uncrewed combat aviation. Earlier analysis of Germany’s pursuit of a fighter bomber UAV highlights how European and US drone companies are already lining up for Berlin’s business, with firms such as Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics and Lockheed Martin among those engaging Germany US defense planners as they consider a fleet that could reach hundreds of aircraft and an initial operational capability around 2028 for European & US. A decision that leans heavily toward US suppliers could accelerate delivery but might frustrate European partners that see the 2029 uncrewed jet as a stepping stone toward shared next generation air combat projects.
Parallel deals for loitering munitions
While the reusable strike jet program inches forward, Berlin is moving much faster on a separate track for loitering munitions, often described as attack or kamikaze drones. German lawmakers are preparing to approve two procurement orders for such systems, a move that would rapidly expand the Bundeswehr’s ability to deliver precision strikes at range and that underlines how loitering munitions are seen as a near term fix while the more complex uncrewed jet remains in development for German lawmakers are. One of the headline deals involves a contract for 400 combat drones with first deliveries due by 2029, a figure that illustrates the scale of Germany’s intended drone inventory and the desire to saturate the force with unmanned strike options rather than rely on a handful of exquisite platforms.
The financial commitment behind these parallel efforts is substantial. Earlier this year, Germany signaled plans to order strike drones worth 536 million euros, a package that would cover procurement and support over a term of seven years and that points to a sustained investment line rather than a one off purchase for strike drones worth. A separate financial snapshot from market analysis circles described Germany as readying a 56 million dollar class tranche within a broader 638 million dollar order for flying attack drones, tying the drone push directly to NATO’s eastern defense posture and underlining that these systems are being bought with alliance frontline scenarios in mind for Germany is said. Together, the reusable jet and the loitering munitions deals show a twin track strategy that mixes high end and attritable systems to rebuild Germany’s strike toolkit.
Political scrutiny and the Thiel connection
The rapid expansion of drone procurement is not happening in a political vacuum. One of the loitering munition contracts has drawn attention because of a stake held by investor Peter Thiel in a start up involved in the deal, prompting German officials to work to ease lawmakers’ concerns about potential conflicts of interest and foreign influence as they prepare to sign off on the orders and manage fears of Thiel. Separate reporting on the same issue highlights how the Virtus loitering munition, shown in a photo credited to Stark, has become a symbol of the debate, with critics pointing to Thiel’s political profile and supporters arguing that Germany cannot afford to turn away capable systems in the current security environment for Virtus loitering munition. The controversy illustrates how investor identities can shape perceptions of defense deals even when the technical merits of the system are not in dispute.
These political headwinds intersect with a broader shift in German defense culture. For years, Berlin hesitated to arm its drones at all, yet it is now preparing to field a mix of reusable strike jets and loitering munitions at scale, with Team Stark already preparing Raven drones for exercises such as the SPECTRA Practice We series as part of a growing ecosystem of operators and suppliers for Team Stark prepares. The debate over Thiel’s role is therefore less about a single investor and more about how comfortable Germany is with the new scale and profile of its drone industry, particularly when foreign capital and foreign designed systems are involved.
