Early this morning, several drones flew near the Kleine Brogel Air Base in northeast Belgium, a site known to store U.S. nuclear weapons. The drones appeared in two phases over Saturday and Sunday night, first small ones testing radio signals, then larger ones apparently to disrupt the area, according to Belgium’s defense minister.
Authorities are treating the incident as a possible espionage operation. The minister noted the drones used their own radio frequencies, which implied professional planning and control. Security measures were activated, but no shoot-down occurred because the drones were not directly over restricted zones.
The air base is part of NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangement and thus holds strategic significance. The incident caused increased concern among allied countries about airspace security and drone defense capabilities. Belgium’s minister lamented that stronger drone counter-measures should have been purchased years ago.