Britain is deploying Royal Air Force counter-drone specialists to Belgium after recent drone sightings disrupted operations at major airports and sensitive sites, including military bases and nuclear facilities. The move follows a request from Belgian authorities and comes amid alleged concerns over sabotage.

Sir Richard Knighton, Chief of the UK Defence Staff, confirmed that “our people, our equipment” would be sent to assist Belgium, though he stressed that the origin of the drones remains unconfirmed.

Unidentified drones were spotted last Thursday over Brussels and Liège airports, prompting flight disruptions. Similar sightings were reported near military installations and nuclear infrastructure.

Germany and France have also sent specialist teams in response to the incidents. The UK’s assistance will be led by the RAF’s dedicated counter-uncrewed aerial systems unit.

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Russia blamed amid growing hybrid warfare fears

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Though no official attribution has been made, some European officials allege Russian involvement. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius suggested the drone incidents could be linked to ongoing debates over the release of frozen Russian assets held in Belgium to fund support for Ukraine.

Knighton said Russia was “the most pressing threat right now,” citing increasing use of hybrid tactics, cyber operations, sabotage, and covert actions, that fall below the threshold of conventional warfare.

In an interview with Sky News, Knighton added, “We know that we have gaps in things like weapons stockpiles. We know that we don’t have all the people that we need,” referencing the impact of decades of post–Cold War cuts to the UK armed forces.

Knighton warns of UK military gaps and future threats

UK defense spending is projected to rise from £62.2 billion this year to £71 billion by 2027–28, as part of a broader effort to raise defence spending to 2.6% of GDP. But the military continues to face challenges from earlier budget constraints and internal overspending.

Knighton emphasized the need to address both traditional and emerging threats, including space and cyber warfare, as well as the physical protection of key infrastructure.

Read more: Kremlin slams Estonia's claims about Russian MiG-31 jets as 'baseless'

Belgium's defense minister publicly declares Russian sabotage

Belgium's Defense Minister Theo Francken sparked a political storm on Saturday within the nation following his public accusation of alleged Russian sabotage following the wave of drone incursions, made without any solid evidence. 

These drone incursions have been recorded since October 10 across a variaty of sensitive locations, including the Kleine Brogel Air Base, which is widely believed to store US B61 tactical nuclear weapons under NATO’s nuclear-sharing framework.

Francken argued on social media that "quite a few people on social media also seem annoyed by the fact that eyes are turning to Russia. But evidently, Russia is a plausible suspect ... Russia certainly has the capabilities to organize such operations.”