Belgium investigating new drone sightings over military base

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By Kate Abnett

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Police in Belgium are investigating drone sightings over a military air base, Defence Minister Theo Francken said on Sunday, following other recent drone sightings at military areas in the country.

The government received reports on Saturday of drones flying over the Kleine Brogel air base in north-east Belgium, Francken said in a post on X. A helicopter and police vehicles pursued but failed to capture the drone, and a drone jammer was unable to intercept it, he said.

“It was not a simple overflight, but a clear command targeting Kleine Brogel,” Francken said.

A spokesperson for Francken’s office told Reuters police were investigating the incident. Government ministers will discuss the sightings this week.

NATO countries have been on high alert in recent weeks after drone sightings and other air incursions, including at airports in Copenhagen, Munich and in the Baltic region. Some 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace in September.

Investigations are already underway in Belgium into multiple drone sightings over a military base in the country’s south-east, and another military base at Elsenborn, on the German border last month.

It is illegal to fly drones over military areas in Belgium.

The European Commission last month proposed four European defence projects, including a counter-drone system and a plan to fortify the eastern border with Russia, as part of a drive to get the continent ready to defend itself by 2030.

Francken has called for Belgium’s government to spend more on anti-drone defences.

(Reporting by Kate AbnettEditing by Peter Graff)