Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) said on Monday that a series of recent drone incursions across the country appears to be part of a coordinated and professional operation.
Speaking on RTBF's Matin Première, he warned that the incidents may amount to espionage.
"The investigation is ongoing," Francken said. "There's a similar pattern in the incursions over the past three days. On the first day, they used small drones. On Saturday and Sunday, they were larger ones, seemingly intended to destabilise the area and the public. I think they're trying to create panic in Belgium. It looks like an espionage operation."
No suspects have yet been identified, but Francken said the activity bore the hallmarks of skilled operators rather than hobbyists. "They always come at the same time, when night falls, one of the darkest moments. There's a clear modus operandi each time," he noted.
The incursions raise legal and security questions, particularly over whether Belgian forces can shoot drones down. "When it's above a military base, we can take them down," Francken said. "But when it's nearby, we have to be careful. A drone could crash onto a house, a car or a civilian. We need to clarify that legal framework."
The minister also called for long-term investment in Belgium's air defence. "We must invest in anti-air systems, especially against drones. We're now chasing the threat. For years, nothing was done, and now we face a huge backlog," he said.
Francken confirmed that an anti-drone plan would be presented to the Council of Ministers this week, with €50 million earmarked for detection systems. "We need time," he added. "We can't fix in a few months what hasn't been done for years."
