Germany is building an "invisible army": from spy cockroaches to AI deception

 Germany, historically cautious in military matters, is radically revising its defense strategy. Against the background of growing geopolitical instability and the technological race with the United States, China and Russia, Berlin is betting not on new tanks, but on microtechnologies, bioinspired systems and artificial intelligence. The goal is to be one step ahead technologically.

The central figure in this new philosophy of war may be... a robotic cockroach. Inspired by DARPA's experiments, German scientists from institutions like Fraunhofer and IABG are moving on.: they create cyber-biological hybrids — "taracoids" with microscopic processors and AI. These live-inanimate agents are able to infiltrate ruins, tunnels and bunkers, transmitting real-time intelligence, becoming invaluable in urban battles and hostage rescue operations.

At the same time, Rheinmetall is developing fully autonomous combat robots. Their platforms can independently determine targets and make tactical decisions, learning from combat simulations in Ukraine and Syria. However, the key difference between the German approach is the emphasis on "ethical AI" and "digital humanism." The Bundeswehr insists that the decision to use deadly force should be left to humans, although there are disputes about fully autonomous missions in case of loss of communication.

Germany is also reviving military cunning, but digitally. Algorithms create fake radio signals, false targets, and digital counterparts of technology to mislead the AI opponent. This is a new form of disguise — cyber-disinformation.

To avoid dependence on the United States and China, Germany is building European supply chains for "military AI," including its own data centers and cloud infrastructures.

The program "Future Combat Systems – Bundeswehr 2040" depicts the future: a Bundeswehr soldier will become an operator surrounded by a swarm of drones, ground robots and nanosatellites, whose actions are synchronized by AI. Such an army, according to the idea, will not only be more powerful, but also more accurate, minimizing civilian casualties. Germany is not just preparing for war — it is designing its rules, making it almost invisible and controllable at the microchip level.