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Last week, a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany, a major European cargo hub that plays an important role in both commercial and military logistics.

According to the BBC, the device was spotted in a restricted area close to a Ukrainian cargo aircraft, leading to the deployment of a bomb disposal robot before police carried out a controlled explosion. A second unidentified object was also involved in an incident near the airport, colliding with a cargo aircraft before the aircraft landed safely in Hanover with minor damage. The incidents caused temporary disruption to airport operations. German authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, with the Federal Prosecutor taking over the case and describing it as a serious attack on Germany’s transport and logistics infrastructure. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the presence of an explosive-laden drone at an airport as a new level of threat.

The latest incident also highlights the growing importance of protecting Europe’s critical transport infrastructure against hybrid and other security threats. This is particularly relevant in the context of the proposed EU Military Mobility Regulation, which includes provisions aimed at strengthening the resilience and protection of strategic dual-use transport infrastructure. CLECAT considers that private infrastructure owners and operators have an important role to play in strengthening physical and cybersecurity and in supporting preparedness. However, protection against serious hybrid or conventional threats, including attacks involving unmanned aerial vehicles, is fundamentally a public responsibility. Where effective protection requires specialised counter-drone or other security capabilities, public authorities should therefore retain primary responsibility for their provision and financing.

At the same time, new security requirements should remain proportionate and avoid duplicating existing reporting and inspection obligations. The transport and logistics sector should also be closely involved in preparedness and resilience planning, ensuring that operational expertise is taken into account when vulnerabilities are assessed and measures are developed. The incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport is a reminder that the resilience of Europe’s transport network increasingly has both a commercial and a security dimension. Strengthening that resilience will require close cooperation between public authorities and the private transport and logistics sector, with a clear allocation of responsibilities and costs.