United Kingdom sends anti-drone team to Belgium
The United Kingdom is sending troops and equipment to Belgium to assist in countering the threat posed by suspicious drones in Belgian airspace. British defence chief Richard Knighton told the BBC this on Sunday.
The announcement follows similar commitments from Germany and France, which agreed on Friday to provide military support after a series of unidentified drones were sighted over airports and military installations in recent days. Air traffic at Brussels Airport had to be halted several times on Tuesday and Thursday evenings as a result of the incursions.
Knighton confirmed that his Belgian counterpart had requested assistance earlier in the week and that British personnel and equipment are already en route. Belgian security services suspect that Russia may be behind the drone activity, a theory Knighton described as “plausible.”
“As the hybrid threat grows, our strength lies in our alliances and our collective resolve to defend, protect, and deter attacks on our critical infrastructure and airspace,” said defence secretary John Healey in a statement cited by the BBC. He added that British support was already being deployed.
Belgian defence minister Theo Francken (N-VA) welcomed the move. “We are grateful to our British friends for their prompt support and solidarity. The deployment of a British anti-drone team in Belgium strengthens our collective security and demonstrates our unity in countering hybrid threats,” he wrote online.
Flights were suspended in the evening of November 4, 2025 Brussels Airport after suspected drone sightings.
©PHOTO NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP
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