Belgian investigates drones detected flying over military base
Francken said that security personnel at the Marche-en-Famenne base reported the presence of “multiple drones” hovering above sensitive areas of the brigade headquarters on Saturday evening and later during the night.
"Our guard post in Marche-en-Famenne noticed multiple drones over crucial parts of the headquarters of our army brigade on Saturday evening during an extended period. It was not the work of amateurs, but of skilled drone pilots," he wrote on the US social media platform X.
The defense chief described the event as “worrying,” adding that both the police and the General Intelligence and Security Service are leading the investigation into the incursions. The base lies roughly 113 kilometers (70 miles) southeast of Brussels.
"Flying drones over military quarters is absolutely prohibited. We must be able to take them out of the air," he said.
Francken later told reporters that “there were four or five drones at the time,” underlining the importance of the facility. "Our main army barracks and critical infrastructure are located there," he noted.
According to reports, this marks the third such incident near a Belgian military site in recent months, following earlier sightings above the Elsenborn camp in the East Cantons.
The source of the drones remains undetermined. Speculation has linked the activity to possible Russian involvement, though Francken said this cannot be confirmed.
"I can say that these are actors with malicious intent. This isn't some mischievous kid flying his drone over a barracks for fun. This was a clearly orchestrated operation against the heart of our army ... They were searching for crucial information about the critical infrastructure located within the military domain," he said.
Francken urged for stronger anti-drone defenses, such as net-based systems and specialized shotguns, noting that while some equipment exists, it is primarily deployed at air bases to safeguard aircraft.
The incidents come amid growing unease across Europe over unidentified drones breaching national airspace. Several governments have accused Moscow of being behind such operations, a charge that Russian officials have repeatedly denied.
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