Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken said that suspicious drones spotted over Belgian military bases in early November were intended to gather information about fighter jets and ammunition, Politico reports.
The minister told Belgian broadcaster RTBF that the drones were sent to spy on the location of F-16 fighter jets, ammunition and other strategically important information.
Francken announced on the 2nd of November that an investigation had been launched into drones that had flown over the Kleine Brogel base in northern Belgium. The base is important for Belgium’s defense and also hosts American forces.
The incident is the latest in a series of incidents across Europe this fall. In recent months, Russian drones have entered Polish airspace, and some have been shot down. In another case, Russian drones have flown into Romania. Drones that have grounded air traffic in Denmark, Norway and Germany have also been linked to Russia.
Francken avoided directly saying that the drones over a military base were linked to Russia,
but suggested that there were few other possible suspects. He told RTBF that the Russians are acting like this in all European countries, and while he could not say that Moscow was behind it again, the motives were very clear, and the way the incident happened also suggests something.
“War is truly a drone war, and the Defense Department really needs to prepare for that,” the minister added.
Francken is expected to present a 50 million euro plan this week to create a defense system against drones in the country. The minister has previously indicated that the funds will be used for warning systems, jammers and weapons to shoot down drones.
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