On February 29, comprehensive foreign media 28** said that recently, a German Navy frigate sent to the Red Sea to protect merchant ships was exposed to a "Reaper" drone ** of the US military by mistake and almost shot down the drone.
According to AFP, the German Ministry of Defense confirmed that a drone incident involving an ally occurred on the 26th local time, but did not specify which country.
German Defense Minister Pistorius said during a visit to the German town of Oberwichtach that the "Hesse" frigate carried out ** after "unsuccessfully" identifying an unknown drone, but added that it "did not hit" the target, the report said. He also said the drone was later confirmed to be a "reconnaissance drone."
Agence France-Presse, citing Der Spiegel, reported that the frigate fired two missiles at the drone, but both crashed into the sea due to "technical defects".
Der Spiegel also noted that the drone that was almost shot down was an American "Reaper" drone. The drone's actions in the region could be "part of the US anti-terrorism mission" and have nothing to do with the Red Sea mission.
The frigate Hesse reportedly arrived in the Red Sea region last weekend as part of an EU mission to help ensure international shipping in the Red Sea from Yemen's Houthi attacks.
The German side said on February 28 that the frigate successfully thwarted an attack by the Houthis on the night of the 27th, shooting down two drones one after another. In the briefing, a spokesman for Germany also said that "this is probably the most dangerous deployment of the German Navy in years." ”