Several drones spotted over Belgian air bases over the weekend were there “to spy” on military jets, the country’s defense minister said on Sunday, as European countries put them on high alert against airspace violations.
“They’re here to spy, to see where the F-16s are, where the munitions are, and other highly strategic things,” Theo Franken told CNN affiliate RTBF.
The minister said the drones were clearly conducting “espionage”, noting that one of the aircraft had spent a “long time” over the airbase.
Kleine Brogel Air Base in the city of Père houses the country’s largest Belgian Armed Forces force and aims to “fundamentally contribute to NATO’s nuclear deterrence strategy,” according to its website. Local media reports have long rumored the presence of U.S. nuclear weapons at the site.
The Belgian Defense Ministry told CNN it could neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at the base. When asked for comment, NATO referred CNN to Belgian officials.
The latest sighting comes as Europe is on high alert following recent incursions into NATO airspace by drones and aircraft.
The Air Force has F-16 fighter jets, its website said, adding that these will be replaced by the “ultra-modern” F-35 “within a few years.”
Regarding the recent sightings, Franken said Russia was “trying to do this in all European countries,” but stopped short of placing the blame directly on Moscow.
“Is it Russian now? I can’t say that, but the motive is clear.”
On Sunday, Franken posted on X that there had been three reports of drones flying over Kleine Brogel the night before. The drone was “a larger type and was flying at a higher altitude,” he said.
He stressed that they were not only flying over Kleine Brogel, but were also clearly monitoring the air base.
“Drone jammers were used but without success…Helicopters and police vehicles tracked the drone but lost it after a few kilometers,” he said.
The latest sighting follows other reports of a drone being seen over Kleine Brogel early Saturday. The sightings sparked an investigation, with Franken declaring that “flying drones over military zones is strictly prohibited.”
Earlier this week, Lithuania closed its border with Belarus after “constant” airspace violations, the country’s Foreign Ministry announced.
Belgian defense officials reported last month that an unspecified number of drones flew over the country’s Elsenborn military base towards the border with Germany.
