British military bases saw a surge in drone sightings in 2025, highlighting the changing nature of warfare and prompting the government to give the armed forces greater powers to protect their airspace, Reuters reports.
In 2025, 266 drone sightings were reported near defence facilities, up from 126 in 2024. Drone sightings in Britain echo a trend across Europe of heightened threats to airspace. Defence Secretary John Healey said on the 2nd of February that the doubling of drone sightings highlighted the growing and changing nature of the threat.
In Belgium and Denmark, drone sightings in the last months of 2025 forced the closure of airports for several hours, and experts have indicated that the incidents bear signs of Russian interference. Moscow has denied any involvement.
To reduce the threat posed by drones,
army officers will now be given the authority to destroy drones that appear near military bases.
Until now, such action also required the involvement of the police. The new powers will also mean that the army has the right to destroy robots that move on land and water.
Healy noted that security at military bases has also been strengthened. Last June, pro-Palestinian activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and sprayed two planes with red paint.
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