After three consecutive days of sightings of drones of unknown origin – including several over the Kleine-Brogel airbase – Belgian Chief of Staff Frédéric Vansina has now given the order to shoot down any further sightings.
Vansina qualified that Belgium’s resources to combat such drones, including detection equipment, jammers and anti-drone cannons, are still limited. A program to protect Belgium from drones is currently being implemented at an accelerated pace. The corresponding plan is to be presented to the Belgian Council of Ministers shortly.
Drones are only shot down when it is safe to do so without causing collateral damage, Vansina added. However, this is difficult as the drones in question usually fly at night and are small and very maneuverable.
On Monday, Kleine-Brogel Air Force Base published guidelines for residents in the area to follow when sighting suspicious drones. Suspicious activity should be reported to the police immediately. If a drone is sighted, it is recommended to take a photo or video if possible.
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken classified the drone incidents as a targeted action. The drones had not reacted to jammers.
Kleine-Brogel airbase
The Kleine-Brogel airbase near the town of Peer in Flanders is home to the 10th Tactical Wing of the Composante Air/Luchtcomponent (Belgian Air Force). It has two operational squadrons (31st and 349th) and an operational training unit equipped with F-16A/B MLU.
Since 1984, tactical nuclear bombs have been stored at the Kleine-Brogel airbase as part of the nuclear sharing program of NATO. Belgian media and international security institutes cite a figure of between ten and twenty US B61 nuclear bombs.
Here to our drone focus and here for more news about the Belgian armed forces.
