"Belgium, the host of NATO's headquarters, said it's been struggling to deal with drones spying on a critical military base housing its advanced fighter aircraft. Theo Francken, Belgium's defense minister, wrote on X on Sunday that the country had detected at least three large drones flying high over the Kleine-Brogel air base within a single night. "This was not a simple flyover, but a clear mission with Kleine-Brogel as the target," he wrote."
"On Sunday, Francken wrote that a deployed drone jammer couldn't neutralize the aircraft. He speculated that the failure may have been due to issues with distance or the jammer not targeting the correct radio frequency. He added that a police helicopter and several vehicles were mobilized to pursue one of the drones, but they eventually lost track of it after chasing the system for several kilometers."
"Earlier this week, the defense minister said he was proposing a $58 million plan to immediately purchase systems that can detect and destroy enemy drones, warning that Belgium was in an "interim phase" between peace and war. Francken has also urged Belgium to consider long-term investments of some $580 million for anti-drone defenses. For context, Brussels plans to spend roughly $38 billion between 2026"
Belgium detected at least three large drones flying high over the Kleine-Brogel air base within a single night, with the flights assessed as targeted missions against the base that houses advanced fighter aircraft. A deployed jammer could not neutralize the systems, possibly due to range limitations or incorrect radio-frequency targeting. A police helicopter and several vehicles pursued one drone but lost track after several kilometers. European leaders have pointed to Russia as a possible actor in similar incursions. Belgium proposed an immediate $58 million purchase for detection and destruction systems and has considered about $580 million for long-term defenses. Brussels plans to spend roughly $38 billion between 2026
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