Belgium’s armed forces have been ordered to shoot down unidentified drones flying over military installations after a series of incursions above sensitive sites, Belgian Chief of Defense Frederik Vansina said on Monday, as reported by Belgian media.
There is growing concern across Europe over unidentified drones near sensitive military sites, a phenomenon that has triggered security alerts from Scandinavia to Central Europe in recent months. While Belgium has now authorized direct engagement, most NATO countries have so far avoided shoot-down orders, citing the risks of misidentification, civilian harm, and escalation or diplomatic fallout.
The order follows three consecutive nights of drone sightings in Belgium, including four seen Sunday above the Kleine-Brogel air base near Peer, a NATO-linked facility. That same evening, police received reports of about a dozen drones over the Mechelen-Zuid industrial zone.
Vansina confirmed that the Belgian army’s anti-drone program is being accelerated and that a new protection plan will soon be presented to the Council of Ministers. Belgium currently has limited capacity to counter unmanned aerial vehicles, relying mainly on detection tools, jammers, and portable drone guns.
“If more drones appear above army bases, the order has been given to shoot them down,” Vansina said during a naval ceremony in Zeebrugge.
He stressed, however, that any interception must be carried out “without causing collateral damage,” a challenge given the drones’ small size and the fact that they often fly at night.
The Kleine-Brogel air base has issued safety instructions for nearby residents, urging them to report suspicious aerial activity to police and, if possible, to capture photos or video.
Local and federal police have attempted to track the drones from the ground and air, including by helicopter, but so far have been unable to locate their operators.
The repeated incursions have heightened concern across Belgium, which, like other NATO members, has seen a rise in unidentified drone activity near critical and military infrastructure in recent months.
