Theo Francken on drone incidents: “Panic is a terrible advisor”

Defence Minister Theo Francken has issued a warning following recent drone sightings over military bases, stating that the threat is real. Speaking on VTM Nieuws, he stressed that while there is no need for panic, vigilance is essential. He also announced a fast-tracked rollout of the counter-drone plan, which will be discussed at Friday’s cabinet meeting.

Not just hobby drones

Minister Francken confirmed that the origin of the drones spotted over bases like Kleine-Brogel is still unknown. “It’s extremely difficult to track down the pilots. They’re often operating from dozens of kilometres away. The police have done a good job, but at night—in the dark—you quickly lose the signal,” he said.

Francken made it clear: this is not just about recreational drones. “Some might be flying over our infrastructure by mistake—which is still illegal, to be clear. But we’re also seeing drones hovering over a base for 30 minutes, clearly mapping out infrastructure. That’s espionage, likely carried out by professional operators working for foreign states, such as Russia.”

Still, he remains cautious: “I don’t have direct evidence, so I have to be careful. But there’s a strong possibility that something more is going on.”

No panic - but stay alert

Francken pointed to the many steps taken in just nine months, including the appointment of a specialised general, Belgium’s participation in the international drone coalition, and increased defence capabilities. These moves are essential, he said: “The previous government considered investing in drones to be immoral and unethical. That left us lagging behind after years of inaction. I’m now trying to catch up.”

According to the minister, panic is the worst possible reaction. “We’re not panicking—but we are arming ourselves and reinforcing our defences. Drones are a new phenomenon, and we need to take them seriously. Vigilance is key, but panic doesn’t help anyone.”

Fast-track procurement

This Friday, the cabinet will review an initial €50 million drone plan, with a much larger counter-drone programme—worth over half a billion euros—set for next year. Francken emphasised that the money will come from the existing defence budget: “I’m not asking for extra funds. It’s all covered within our current resources. But we have to act fast, because traditional European procurement procedures take up to 18 months—and we don’t have that kind of time.”

What’s in the counter-drone plan?

• Detection systems to quickly spot even small drones
• Triangulation tools to pinpoint pilot locations
• Jamming technology to disrupt drone radio signals
• Counter-drone systems that deploy drones to intercept hostile aircraft
• Shotguns for close-range defence

“Some of these systems could be purchased as early as November,” Francken concluded.