The Bundeswehr has, according to its own statements, successfully continued its tests of unmanned systems at the Ohrdruf site training area. The aim is to provide Panzer Brigade 45 in Lithuania in 2027 with a deployable Reconnaissance and Effects Network (AWV) for the deployment of AI-assisted drone formations. The test results were positive, and the measures are on schedule, according to the Planning Office of the Bundeswehr in a press release issued on Tuesday.
According to this, various reconnaissance and loitering munition systems were tested. After the first test series had been conducted in early December 2025 at the Army’s Combat Training Center at the Altmark Training Area, more complex scenarios were now tested. The AWV proved effective in realistic scenarios against static and dynamic targets, according to the statement. At the same time, operating principles and tactical procedures of the Bundeswehr’s new drone forces were tested. This represents another important step toward the timely reinforcement of Panzer Brigade 45 with drone forces.
AI-enabled systems can autonomously fly to targets
The reconnaissance and effects network consisted during testing of various reconnaissance drones, an AI-assisted command software, and so-called loitering munitions. Loitering munitions are munitions that circle over a target area for an extended period until a target is assigned to them via a data link and displayed to the operator. The operator then has the option to deploy the loitering munition against the identified target. The AI-enabled systems can then act autonomously. This makes them particularly resilient to the enemy’s electronic interference.
The trials were conducted by the Planning Office of the Bundeswehr in close collaboration with the newly established Bundeswehr Innovation Center and the German Army. The independently developed Bundeswehr Command & Control Unmanned Management System (C2-UMS Bw) was, as in the tests in December 2025, again a central element of the trial. With this software, various drone types and systems can be integrated into a single effective system and connected to the Bundeswehr’s digital communications network.
