Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken says the drones detected over the Kleine-Brogel air base on two consecutive nights were likely engaged in espionage. The Limburg installation is widely

believed to host U.S. nuclear weapons, and from 2027 it will also accommodate F-35 fighter jets—making the recent drone activity particularly sensitive.

Suspicious drone flights have become increasingly common across Belgium. In recent nights, unidentified drones were reported not only above Kleine-Brogel, near Peer, but also over Antwerp’s Deurne airport and the grounds of Ostend Airport.

When drones reappeared above Kleine-Brogel on Saturday night, a police helicopter attempted to intercept them. Security forces also tried to jam the aircrafts’ signals, but the drones evaded both efforts.

Francken said the behaviour of the drones suggests deliberate intelligence gathering. “How they operate, where they hover, what they observe and for how long—these are not coincidences,” he told reporters. While some European officials, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have hinted at possible Russian involvement in similar incidents, Francken stressed there is no proof. “I cannot say who is behind this. Anything beyond that is speculation.”

The defence minister has responded with a new €50 million “drone plan” aimed at strengthening Belgium’s counter-drone capabilities. The proposal, which he hopes to have approved by the Council of Ministers next week, includes a standardised reporting system, new detection technologies, anti-drone measures and tools to locate operators.

Some elements of the plan are expected to be deployed within weeks, though larger purchases may take longer given that many European countries are simultaneously seeking similar systems. Francken added on VTM Nieuws that the €50 million package represents only an initial phase. A long-term investment of around €500 million will ultimately be required, he said. Photo by Jim van de Burgt from Wijk bij Duurstede, Netherlands, Wikimedia commons.