Germany Signs Deal with MBDA to Develop New ‘DefendAir’ Anti-Drone Missile System

Germany has signed an important agreement with the European missile company MBDA to develop and buy a new anti-drone missile system called DefendAir. The contract was signed with Germany’s defence procurement agency, BAAINBw, and aims to improve the country’s ability to defend itself against the growing threat of drones.

MBDA will build the new missiles in Schrobenhausen, Germany, where the company is preparing to increase production to meet rising demand.

Why Germany Needs DefendAir

Today, drones have become a major concern for armies around the world. They are small, fast, cheap, and can be flown in large groups (swarms). This makes them difficult to detect and destroy with traditional air-defence systems.

DefendAir has been created specifically to deal with these modern threats. It was earlier known as the Small Anti-Drone Missile (SADM) and is designed to shoot down small drones, fast-moving drones, and even drone swarms.

The system will be used on the Skyranger 30 vehicle — a small, highly mobile air-defence vehicle that carries radar, sensors, a 30 mm cannon, and now the DefendAir missiles. Together, this gives German forces better protection at short and very short distances.

A Big Step for Germany and NATO

MBDA’s German Managing Director, Thomas Gottschild, said DefendAir is a major improvement in drone defence:

“DefendAir is a game-changer. With this system, Germany is building one of the most modern drone defence capabilities in Europe and NATO.”

He also explained that DefendAir uses proven technology from MBDA’s Enforcer programme, which means it can be ready faster and with less risk. Several other countries in Europe — especially those part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) — have also shown interest in DefendAir.

Fits into Germany’s Defence Plans

Germany has been working on improving its close-range air defence as part of its NNbS project. DefendAir will help fill a gap by giving the German military a reliable way to stop drones that fly low and attack quickly.

The missile system also fits well into MBDA’s wider air-defence family, which includes:

• Sky Warden (anti-drone command system),

• Mistral short-range missiles,

• CAMM medium-range missiles.

This allows Germany to build a layered defence system, where different technologies protect against different types of threats.

MBDA Increasing Production for Faster Delivery

MBDA had already started early development of DefendAir before the deal was signed. This will help Germany get the system faster.

From 2023 to 2025, MBDA doubled its missile production because many countries are increasing their defence budgets. The company plans to invest €2.4 billion by 2029 to expand its factories and supply chains across Europe.

The Schrobenhausen site will be one of the main production centres for DefendAir.

A New Tool Against Modern Air Threats

With the DefendAir system, Germany is strengthening its ability to defend military vehicles, bases, and infrastructure from drones — one of the fastest-growing dangers in modern warfare.

The deal also supports Europe’s larger plan to build a strong, coordinated air-defence network under ESSI. As drones become more advanced, systems like DefendAir will be essential for both Germany and Europe.