Belgian military allowed to shoot down drones - With limits
Illustrative photo: Belgian military ordered to shoot down unidentified drones (Getty Images)
Chief of the Belgian Army General Staff Frederik Vansina has ordered soldiers to shoot down suspicious drones. The directive comes amid growing concern over unidentified UAVs spotted near military facilities across the country, according to Nieuwsblad.
The decision was made after several drones were spotted flying over multiple Belgian military bases in recent days.
However, the key condition is that they can only be shot down safely, meaning "without any collateral damage."
The army chief acknowledged that taking down a drone is no easy task, as they usually fly at night, are small and highly maneuverable, and often disappear before the police or military arrive.
According to Nieuwsblad, the Belgian armed forces currently have limited resources to counter such threats. Vansina noted that the country’s drone-defense program is now being accelerated.
Weapons manufacturer FN Herstal has been asked to urgently supply the Defense Ministry with special anti-drone rifles, high-powered firearms that can severely damage drones with a cloud of pellets, rendering them uncontrollable.
Still, the risk remains that a downed drone could damage other military equipment if it crashes on the ground. For this reason, the Chief of Staff reminded soldiers to remain aware of potential collateral damage when engaging a target.
Drones in Belgian Airspace
On the night of November 1, unidentified drones were detected over Kleine-Brogel Air Base in Peer, a site known to store US nuclear weapons. Police arrived at the scene but found nothing.
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken later stated that the unknown drones were spying on fighter jets and munitions. While he did not directly accuse Russia, he hinted that "there are a few other suspects" behind the breach of Belgian airspace.
He added that the country is now facing "a real drone war" and that the Defense Ministry must prepare accordingly.
In recent days, other unidentified drones have been spotted over another Belgian military base, prompting investigations by the police and military intelligence.
