A German company delivers novel suicide drones to Ukraine
Donaustahl's Rusting Forge is the only German company, according to its own statements, that develops Kamikaze drones. Now, the firm has been given permission by the German Economic Ministry to deliver its weapons system named Maus to Ukraine.
The German economic ministry has authorized the German defense company Donaustahl to manufacture and export FPV-drones (First Person View) of the Maus type. The first customer will be the Ukrainian special unit Kraken, according to the company [X].
The Maus system, according to the manufacturer, can be used for Kamikaze attacks with a warhead, for attacks against infantry, and in combat against tanks. The combat range is five to seven kilometers. A modular design with a "Quick-Click System" allows for easy replacement of the warhead. According to the manufacturer, the Maus is the first worldwide adaptable drone for day and night operations.
Donaustahl from Bavaria entered the market in 2020 to supply hunting rifles. However, with the war in Ukraine, the company transformed into a defense and technology company. "Donaustahl is, to my knowledge, the first and only German company that develops pure combat drones and is now about to enter series production," said Managing Director Stefan Thumann about the Kamikaze drone Maus to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) in April.
The Maus is not intended for the Bundeswehr but for Ukraine, according to Thumann. The Bundeswehr is too bureaucratic to react to the rapid developments in the drone sector. "For us, it's not relevant at the moment to allow our products to be used by the Bundeswehr in Germany," Thumann said. "It hurts me personally, but with their structures, the Bundeswehr will probably not get my products for the foreseeable future. I would have to spend so much money on bureaucracy to build 5000 drones." Therefore, he gives his drones to the Ukrainians, "because they are currently the only ones effectively ensuring that the Russian doesn't stand in Warsaw or Berlin tomorrow."
The Kraken Infantry Regiment was founded shortly after the large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2024 in Kharkiv. The unit is under the Military Intelligence Service HUR and reportedly played a key role during the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the fall of 2022 in the Kharkiv region. In October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commended the unit for its "outstanding performance on the battlefield."
- The authorization for weapon delivery by Donaustahl to Ukraine includes the export of their advanced Maus drone system, which is capable of Kamikaze attacks and combat against tanks.
- In response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Donaustahl, a German defense and technology company, has shifted its focus from armament exports to the development and production of Kamikaze drones.
- Armament exports continue to play a significant role in Germany's economy, with companies like Donaustahl contributing innovative drone technology, such as the Maus, to international armaments industries.
