According to the Austrian Industriemagazin magazine, there has been a historic change of course at German machine manufacturer Trumpf: the family-owned company is entering the defense sector for the first time and will develop laser weapons for drone defense.
Until now, Trumpf had been contractually bound not to engage in weapons production – a taboo that has now been lifted in light of geopolitical threats such as the Russian war of aggression and the growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles. Importantly, Trumpf emphasizes that it will only develop defensive, non-lethal technologies designed to neutralize objects.
From a technological perspective, Trumpf is well prepared: the company is among the global leaders in laser technology. Initial prototypes demonstrate that drones can be effectively disabled by laser beams – for example by blinding cameras or overheating propulsion systems.
The move is driven by both security policy and economic logic: laser weapons are considered a key future technology, offering much lower operational costs compared to conventional defense systems. At the same time, Trumpf has faced declining revenues, and defense contracts promise stability and higher margins.
With this decision, Trumpf joins a growing number of international companies developing laser-based drone defense systems. Security experts regard such systems as indispensable for the future, while BDI President and Trumpf co-owner Peter Leibinger describes the shift as part of German industry’s responsibility for a “resilient democracy.”
Trumpf is making a strategic paradigm shift – moving away from a strict taboo toward actively shaping security-relevant technologies.
Source: www.trumpf.com
