Evidence of a second drone in the foiled attack in Leipzig

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Suspicions that a second “tactical” drone was in the air during the foiled drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport are gaining traction. According to the German newspaper Bild, new analyses by investigators and experts indicate that a second drone maintained visual contact with the explosive drone found on the ground and transmitted live footage and control signals to the operators.

The incidents occurred on the night of Tuesday, August 5. Staff discovered a drone equipped with explosives near a Ukrainian Antonov An-124 in the cargo area. The airport was immediately closed. Shortly thereafter, a DHL cargo plane that had to take evasive action at an altitude of about 400 meters collided with an unknown flying object. It was still able to land safely in Hanover with minor damage to the nose of the aircraft. The German Ministry of the Interior confirmed the collision with an “unknown object.” 

According to Bild, that unknown object could have been the second drone, a sort of “mothership” that coordinated the operation. This theory aligns with the finding that the first drone was professionally equipped with explosives and a detonator but did not detonate, possibly due to a technical malfunction. The federal prosecutor’s office is investigating the case as an attempted act of sabotage and a threat to national security.

"Absolute professionals"

Security experts describe it as a complex, military-style operation that betrays the work of “absolute professionals.” The simultaneous deployment of two drones—one of which served as a relay for video feed and control—requires specialized expertise and precise coordination. Investigators believe that an experienced team operated from the immediate vicinity of the airport. The search for the remains of the second drone and for the drone pilots is ongoing.

The case is part of a series of drone incidents involving critical infrastructure. Days after the Leipzig incident, several unidentified drones were spotted flying over the Bundeswehr facility in Mechernich (North Rhine-Westphalia), where Patriot components are stored and repaired. The incidents are being investigated as possible espionage against military facilities. Germany is therefore stepping up its response to hybrid threats. The anti-drone team is being doubled from 150 to 300 experts; the number of operational bases is increasing from four to eight. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt emphasized: “We are not at war, but we are the daily target of hybrid warfare.”
 

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