Belgium scrambles to address airport closures and military base incursions caused by drones

Belgium convened an emergency meeting of key government ministers and security chiefs on Thursday to confront a surge in drone sightings that forced the temporary closure of major airports and several military bases this week, in what Defence Minister Theo Francken described as a “coordinated attack” aimed at sowing disruption and gathering intelligence.

The incidents, which began escalating in late October, have heightened fears of hybrid warfare across Europe, with some officials pointing to Russia as a potential culprit – though Moscow has firmly denied any involvement.

Drones have triggered widespread aviation halts in recent months, from Scandinavia to the Baltics, prompting NATO allies to bolster counter-drone defences and debate the creation of a continental “drone wall” along eastern borders.

On Tuesday evening, the crisis peaked when three drones were detected flying over the perimeter of Brussels Airport, Belgium’s busiest hub, around 8 p.m. (1900 GMT), according to Belgian air navigation service Skeyes. The sighting triggered an immediate shutdown of the airport’s airspace, with similar reports flooding in from Antwerp, Liege, and Ostend airports, all of which suspended operations until the early hours of Wednesday.

Belgium's Brussels Airport was closed after reported sightings of drones, diverting many incoming planes and preventing others from taking off https://t.co/J7EWkytiDG pic.twitter.com/NWKXYvepgQ

— Reuters (@Reuters) November 5, 2025

Compounding the chaos, drones were simultaneously spotted over at least two sensitive military installations: the Florennes air base in Namur province and the Kleine-Brogel air base near the Dutch border. Kleine-Brogel, home to Belgian F-16 fighter jets and believed to store U.S. tactical nuclear weapons under NATO’s nuclear-sharing agreement, has been a focal point of recent incursions.

Defence Ministry officials confirmed four large drones hovered over the base that evening, marking the latest in a string of three consecutive nights of activity there from 31 October to 2 November.

“This was not random hobbyist activity,” Francken told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday. “These were professional-grade drones – large, flying in formation at higher altitudes, testing our frequencies on the first night before conducting what appears to be deliberate surveillance on our aircraft and ammunition stores.”

He added that the operations echoed tactics seen in other European nations, suggesting a structured effort to probe defences.

The military’s response has been swift but constrained. On Monday, Chief of Defence Frederik Vansina authorized troops to shoot down unidentified drones over bases, citing limited detection tools, jammers, and “drone guns” as current assets. However, no interceptions occurred during Tuesday’s events due to concerns over falling debris endangering nearby civilians – Kleine-Brogel is surrounded by residential areas and farmland. Police helicopters pursued the drones but failed to catch them, and electronic jamming proved ineffective as the devices switched frequencies mid-flight.

Earlier sightings underscore the pattern: On 3 October, 15 unidentified drones buzzed the Elsenborn military base near the German border, detected during routine surveillance tests. Additional reports emerged on 25 October over the Marche-en-Famenne base in southeast Belgium, and over the weekend prior to Tuesday’s chaos, drones were seen above Leopoldsburg in Limburg province and Schaffen in Diest. In each case, officials described the flights as mapping exercises targeting “crucial infrastructure.”

Francken, speaking to RTBF broadcaster, stopped short of naming perpetrators but noted Russia’s “clear motives” amid heightened NATO tensions.

“They come to spy—to see where the F-16s are, where the ammunition is, and other strategic details,” he said.

The base recently hosted NATO’s annual Steadfast Noon nuclear drills, amplifying suspicions of espionage.

Brussels Airport, after a brief two-hour reopening, shut down again when at least one drone reappeared, with flights resuming only around 2 a.m. Wednesday. The disruptions cascaded: 81 flights were canceled since the initial closure, including 24 diversions, and nearly half the cancellations happened post-reopening due to aircraft being stranded at wrong locations. The first departure Wednesday was delayed until about 6:30 a.m.

Liege Airport, a key European cargo hub, remained closed for nearly seven hours before reopening at 3 a.m., logging five cancellations, 37 delays, and eight diversions. Antwerp and Ostend saw shorter suspensions but still reported ripple effects into Wednesday’s schedules.

The Belgian government is accelerating a €50 million ($52 million) counter-drone program, including purchases of NASAMS missile systems, Polish Piorun MANPADS, and Rheinmetall Skyranger guns for layered defenses. Francken has urged faster procurement, warning that current capabilities lag behind the threat.

This wave of incursions fits a broader European trend. Authorities in Denmark, Norway, and Germany are probing drone sightings that grounded flights at Oslo, Copenhagen, and Munich airports since September, with scant public details released. Denmark has attributed similar events to a “professional actor.”

In the Baltics, Estonia and Poland invoked NATO consultations after 20 Russian drones breached Polish airspace in September, while Lithuania sealed its Belarus border over repeated violations.

As investigations continue – with federal police, intelligence services, and NATO liaisons involved – Belgian officials are urging the public to report suspicious drones via photos or videos. “This is a new security challenge,” Francken said. “We must adapt quickly to protect our skies.”

With Reuters and Belgian press, edited by g.g.

Caption: A ‘No Drone Zone’ sign at Brussels aiport while a Thai Airways passenger plane takes off, Brussels, Belgium, 26 September 2025. EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS