Belgium investigates drone incursions over suspected US nuclear base

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Nov 2025 19:01
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Belgium has launched an investigation after multiple unidentified drones conducted surveillance over the Kleine Brogel Air Base, a site believed to store US nuclear weapons.

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Belgian and allied fighter jets parked along the flightline at Kleine-Brogel Air Base during the Operational Integration Exercise in 2007. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Jim van de Burgt.

Belgian authorities have launched an investigation after three unidentified drones carried out what officials described as a deliberate surveillance mission over the Kleine Brogel Air Base in northeastern Belgium, a facility widely believed to store US tactical nuclear weapons under NATO’s nuclear-sharing arrangement.

Defense Minister Theo Francken announced that the drones were detected on Saturday night flying at a high altitude above the base. “Last night, three reports were received about drones of a larger type flying at high altitude over Kleine Brogel. This was not an ordinary overflight, but a clear surveillance mission targeting Kleine Brogel,” Francken wrote on X.

According to the minister, the Belgian military attempted to neutralize the drones using electronic warfare systems, but the effort was unsuccessful. “Police helicopters and vehicles pursued the drones but lost them after many kilometers north. The investigation is ongoing,” he added.

Strategic Significance

Kleine Brogel is home to the Belgian Air Force’s 10th Tactical Wing and the US Air Force’s 701st Munitions Support Squadron. The base is believed to house an estimated 10 to 15 US B61 tactical nuclear bombs stored in secure underground vaults. It is also set to host Belgium’s first operational F-35 fighter jets beginning in 2027, which will further increase its strategic importance.

Francken revealed that this was not an isolated case. Similar incursions occurred earlier in October, when drones were spotted over the Marche-en-Famenne base on the 25th and 28th of the month, and around 15 drones were detected on October 10 above the Elsenborn military base near the German border.

Alleged aerial Intrusions

The repeated alleged incidents have raised alarms about potential reconnaissance or espionage activity targeting NATO-linked infrastructure across Belgium. Security experts suggest that the pattern of high-altitude drone flights may indicate attempts to test or map the country’s air-defense response.

The Belgian government is expected to discuss the incidents in the coming days, with growing calls for the rapid deployment of more advanced counter-drone systems to strengthen surveillance and protection around key military installations.