In response to repeated drone incursions over key military bases, including the critical Kleine-Brogel Air Base, Belgium`s Chief of Defense, Gen. Frederik Vansina, authorized the military to shoot down unidentified drones posing a security risk. This decision followed three consecutive nights of drone sightings from November 1-3, 2025, and was announced publicly during a naval ceremony in Zeebrugge. The order underlines the increasing vulnerability of strategic sites, particularly those linked to NATO’s nuclear mission.

The decision came after a pattern of drone activity over Belgian military facilities, with incidents spanning from Elsenborn on October 3 to Marche-en-Famenne on October 25, culminating in multiple incursions over Kleine-Brogel. These drones are suspected of engaging in reconnaissance operations, probing military responses and electronic signatures.

To address these threats, Belgium is accelerating its counter-UAS strategy, including the purchase of NASAMS systems for medium-range defense, alongside short-range MANPADS like the Polish Piorun and Rheinmetall`s Skyranger 30 mobile gun system for close-in drone engagements. A €50 million counter-UAS package is expected to be presented to the Council of Ministers this week, focusing on both hard and soft kill solutions.

Belgium’s defense forces currently rely on detection sensors, radio-frequency jammers, and handheld drone guns, but these tools have proven insufficient against small, fast-moving drones. The country is now focused on building a more layered defense system, incorporating civil and military airspace monitoring, and establishing a National Counter-UAS Testing Center at DronePort Sint-Truiden.

The urgency surrounding these developments is driven by the strategic importance of bases like Kleine-Brogel, which stores U.S. B61 gravity bombs under NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangements and is set to host Belgium’s F-35A fleet in 2027. To complement military efforts, Belgium is working on tighter coordination with civil aviation authorities, including Skeyes` U-space subsidiary and integrating sensor networks to quickly detect and respond to drone threats.

As European nations like France and Germany also strengthen their counter-drone capabilities, Belgium is positioning itself to build a comprehensive defense architecture against aerial threats, with a focus on rapid deployment and real-time intelligence sharing. In this increasingly complex security landscape, the necessity of robust, layered counter-drone defense has never been more evident.