Belgium’s defense minister has revealed that multiple drones spotted hovering over a key military base over the weekend were on a spying mission targeting the country’s fighter jets.
Defense Minister Theo Francken told CNN affiliate RTBF that the unmanned aircraft were gathering intelligence on “where the F-16s are, where the munitions are, and other highly strategic things.”
“They come to spy,” Francken said, emphasizing that one of the drones lingered above the base for a “long time,” leaving little doubt about its intent.
The drones were sighted above Kleine-Brogel Air Base, located in the municipality of Peer.
The base hosts Belgium’s largest defense unit and, according to its website, plays a crucial role in NATO’s nuclear deterrence strategy.
Local reports have long speculated about the storage of U.S. nuclear weapons at the site.
When contacted, NATO declined to comment and referred CNN to the Belgian authorities. Belgium’s Ministry of Defense has yet to issue an official statement.
The incidents come amid heightened vigilance across Europe following a series of drone and aircraft intrusions into NATO airspace.
Kleine-Brogel currently houses F-16 fighter jets, which are expected to be replaced by advanced F-35s in the coming years.
Francken suggested that similar aerial surveillance attempts have been occurring across the continent, saying Russia is “trying to do this in all European countries,” but he stopped short of directly attributing the incident to Moscow.
“Is it the Russians now? I cannot say that, but the motives are clear,” the minister remarked.
In a post on X on Sunday, Francken confirmed that three drone sightings had been reported the previous night over Kleine-Brogel.
He described the drones as “a larger type and flying at higher altitude,” adding that they appeared to be deliberately monitoring the base rather than merely passing over it.
“A drone jammer was used, but without success … A helicopter and police vehicles chased the drone, but lost it after several kilometers,” he wrote.
The recent activity follows similar reports on Saturday, which prompted an official investigation. Francken reaffirmed that it is “strictly forbidden to fly drones above military areas.”
The episode adds to a growing list of airspace breaches in Europe. Earlier in the week, Lithuania announced the closure of its border with Belarus over “constant violations” of its airspace, while Belgian officials last month disclosed drone flights over the Elsenborn military base near the German border.
