Britain, France, and Germany have recently dispatched teams of anti-drone experts and equipment to Belgium in response to frequent incidents of unidentified drones invading sensitive facilities.
Last week, both Brussels and Liège airports were forced to halt flights due to mysterious drone disturbances, while drones were also spotted flying over the Antwerp port and military bases.
British Chief of Defence Staff Richard Knighton told the BBC on Sunday (November 9) that Britain is following in the footsteps of France and Germany by providing personnel and equipment to help Belgium combat drone invasions.
While Knighton did not disclose the specific type of drones or the number of personnel deployed, he emphasized that drone equipment and personnel are on their way to being stationed.
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken expressed gratitude for the “support of the three countries”. Following an emergency meeting of the National Security Council on November 6, Belgium announced plans to fully launch a National Air Security Center by January 1, 2026. Prior to this, the Belgian government sought assistance from Berlin, Paris, and London, all of which sent air force experts.
Francken highlighted the appreciation for “our British friends” for deciding to deploy an anti-drone team, following similar decisions by France and Germany.
The incidents began last week when unidentified drones were spotted in the airspace of Brussels and Liège airports, leading to the suspension of many flights. Incoming planes were diverted, and some outbound flights were grounded. The Antwerp port has also recently been targeted by drones, with even military bases becoming objectives.
Knighton noted that in the past week, there has been frequent drone activity over Belgian airports and military bases. In recent months, these drones have caused significant disruptions across Europe. On November 6, multiple airports in several countries, including Sweden, were temporarily closed due to similar incidents.
The European Commission has classified such events as part of Russia’s “hybrid warfare” against the EU. It stated that over the past few months, UAVs have significantly escalated their invasions of critical EU infrastructure.
According to reports by Reuters, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius hinted at a press conference on Friday (November 9) that the unidentified drone incidents may be related to negotiations involving frozen Russian assets funding Ukrainian defense. These assets are primarily held at the European Central Clearing House (Euroclear) in Belgium.
He stated, “This is an operation aimed at spreading insecurity, creating fear in Belgium to imply: you dare not touch the frozen Russian assets. There can be no other explanation.”
While the Belgian government did not explicitly accuse Moscow, the country’s intelligence services reportedly have “almost no doubts” about the origin of the unidentified drones. Francken stated on Saturday (November 8), “Russia is clearly a reasonable suspect.”
Knighton pointed out that it is currently unclear who is behind the drones, but it fits Russia’s recent involvement in the “hybrid warfare” model.
Russia has strongly denied any involvement in such incidents.