Multiple unidentified drone sightings occurred over multiple Belgian military and civilian sites including Kleine-Brogel air force base, Marche-en-Famenne military site, Leopoldsburg army base, and the airports of Ostend and Deurne between 1-3 November 2025. The Belgian Chief of Defence has authorized shooting down unknown drones if done safely. Detection and counter-drone resources remain limited, with a €50 million counter-drone equipment proposal and a larger €500 million drone defence plan pending governmental approval. Defence Minister Theo Francken suspects state-actor espionage, possibly Russian, targeting sensitive military sites such as Kleine-Brogel, known for American nuclear weapons storage. Countermeasure challenges include difficulties in drone detection, interference risks causing collateral impact, and gaps in tracking drone operators. The incidents highlight evolving drone threat technology, with the conflict in Ukraine cited as a rapid development laboratory. The order to neutralize drones is conditional on minimizing collateral damage.

Multiple unidentified drone sightings occurred over multiple Belgian military and civilian sites including Kleine-Brogel air force base, Marche-en-Famenne military site, Leopoldsburg army base, and the airports of Ostend and Deurne between 1-3 November 2025. The Belgian Chief of Defence has authorized shooting down unknown drones if done safely. Detection and counter-drone resources remain limited, with a €50 million counter-drone equipment proposal and a larger €500 million drone defence plan pending governmental approval. Defence Minister Theo Francken suspects state-actor espionage, possibly Russian, targeting sensitive military sites such as Kleine-Brogel, known for American nuclear weapons storage. Countermeasure challenges include difficulties in drone detection, interference risks causing collateral impact, and gaps in tracking drone operators. The incidents highlight evolving drone threat technology, with the conflict in Ukraine cited as a rapid development laboratory. The order to neutralize drones is conditional on minimizing collateral damage.