Drones spotted over Belgian military base for 3rd night in a row in suspected espionage
Editor's note: This item has been updated with the latest details.
Suspicious drones were spotted over the Kleine Brogel Air Base for three nights in a row between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2, local media reported.
The incidents appear to be part of an espionage operation, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said, without naming the culprit but linking the incidents to recent Russian airspace violations in Europe.
"The Russians are trying to do this in all European countries," Francken said. "Is it the Russians now? I can't say that, but the motives are clear and the ways of doing things like this are also very clear."
Following the second and third incidents, police helicopters gave chase but were unsuccessful in intercepting the drones, Belgian outlet VRT reported.
While officially unconfirmed, the air base is widely believed to be the host to U.S. nuclear weapons under NATO's nuclear sharing arrangements. The base also houses F-16 fighter jets and is set to host F-35s beginning in 2027, Belga News Agency reported.
Francken later told the Belgian news outlet RTBF that the drones had come to spy on fighter jets and ammunition.
"They come to spy, to see where the F-16s are, where the ammunition are, and other highly strategic information," Francken said on Nov. 1.
Drones were also spotted near the Leopoldsburg and Marche-en-Famenne military bases over the weekend, local media reported.
The incidents come amid a surge in mysterious drone sightings across European countries, raising fears of Russian involvement in hybrid warfare and renewed concern about the alliance's security.
On Oct. 17, allied forces shot down two drones of unknown origin after they were spotted near a military base in southern Estonia.
The unexplained drone sightings were preceded by Russian aircraft and drones violating NATO airspace on several occasions.
Polish forces shot down several Russian drones that entered their airspace during an attack on Ukraine in early September. Days later, a Russian drone breached Romanian territory, though Bucharest chose not to engage it.
The incidents prompted calls for a more forceful response to such incursions, including downing Russian aircraft and drones if necessary.
Reports of drone sightings at airports have intensified in recent months, leading to air traffic disruptions in France, Germany, Lithuania, Norway, and Denmark, among other European countries.
Late on Oct. 31, Berlin's Brandenburg Airport was temporarily forced to divert flights after a reported suspicious drone sighting.
