Bundestag printed paper 17/14018 of 12 June 2013
Minor interpellation tabled by Member of the Bundestag Andrej Hunko, other Members of the Bundestag, and the Left Party parliamentary group
Preliminary remark of the questioners: In parallel to the procurement of German Euro Hawk drones, the Bundeswehr wants to participate in the NATO’s Alliance Ground Surveillance Programme (AGS). Initially, five spy drones of the Global Hawk type are to be procured and stationed at Sigonella on the island of Sicily. While the Bundeswehr has ordered the error-prone model Block 20 for the Euro Hawk, NATO is planning to use the new Block 40. The establishment of AGS is based on a declaration of intent signed by 13 NATO members in 2009, including Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway and Romania. AGS consists of an air and a ground segment (termed “AGS Core”). Control systems will be installed on the ground; these will also manage flight control. The information will initially be evaluated in Sigonella, but as the data will also be analysed by the NATO members in national situation centres, relay stations with broadband transmission rates will also be needed.