Defence contractor Rheinmetall has been awarded a major contract to manufacture combat drones for the German armed forces in a deal approved by the Bundestag Budget Committee on Wednesday.
New combat drones are planned in particular for use as part of the so-called Lithuania Brigade. The unit consists of around 5,000 soldiers who guarantee the defence and security of NATO's eastern flank at Lithuanian bases until the end of 2027, as threats from Russia persist following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
