Multiple drone sightings were reported over the Kleine-Brogel air base near Peer, Limburg, on the nights of Friday 31st October and Saturday 1st November. Police deployed a helicopter after the second incident, but the devices and their operators were not located. An investigation by federal police and military intelligence is under way.
At around 18:30 on Saturday, one to three drones were observed above the base. VTM and other Flemish outlets reported that a police helicopter attempted to track the devices, which were believed to be heading towards the Dutch border, without success. The previous night, a member of staff at the barracks reported a drone close to midnight. Local officers from police zone HANO were called but found no trace of the device or its pilot. Steven Matheï, the mayor of Peer, confirmed the reports and said monitoring would continue in coordination with police and Defence.
Defence Minister Theo Francken said the base’s detection system had registered multiple drones and thanked on-site guards for their response. In a post on X, he reiterated that flights over military domains are prohibited and said Defence “must do everything possible to bring down such drones.” He added that his department has prepared a counter-drone package that will be discussed at inter-cabinet level on Tuesday and presented to the Council of Ministers on Friday. Belgian media report the plan includes about €50 million for detection and defeat measures.
Additional sightings were reported the same night over the Leopoldsburg military domain, roughly 20 kilometres from Kleine-Brogel. Mayor Marleen Kauffman said police in the Kempenland zone responded and that the municipality is following the situation closely with police and Defence. Authorities have not identified the operators and have not confirmed any recovered equipment.
The weekend incidents at Kleine-Brogel follow reports in recent weeks of drones over other Belgian military sites. On 29 October, Defence confirmed multiple drones above the Marche-en-Famenne base in Wallonia, prompting an investigation by police and the military intelligence service, ADIV. Earlier in October, suspicious drone activity was also reported at the Elsenborn training area. Belgian authorities have not publicly attributed responsibility.
Media in Belgium and neighbouring countries have drawn attention to the location’s strategic profile. Kleine-Brogel lies just over 10 kilometres from the Netherlands and is due to host Belgium’s F-35A fleet from 2027, as the Air Component transitions from the F-16. It is also widely reported as a site associated with the storage of U.S. B61 nuclear gravity bombs under NATO arrangements, although such deployments are not officially confirmed.
The Defence Minister has linked the recent spate of sightings to broader European concerns about uncrewed systems near sensitive locations. Belgium’s review of counter-UAS capabilities has been underway since October, when Francken said the country would accelerate anti-drone measures after incidents at Marche-en-Famenne. The government has also been pursuing wider air-defence upgrades with NATO partners.
No arrests had been announced by Sunday morning, 2 November. Police have not released technical assessments of the devices or confirmed their launch points. Francken has said that professional-grade operators may be involved in some cases, but that the investigation remains open. Local authorities have reminded the public that flights above military sites are prohibited and that temporary or permanent restricted zones apply around bases when active. Reuters
Kleine-Brogel’s drone detection system recorded the most recent overflights, according to local reports. Officials have not stated whether radio-frequency jamming or kinetic countermeasures were attempted during the incidents. In late October, Belgium’s chief of defence, General Frederik Vansina, outlined requirements for enhanced counter-UAS coverage, including additional detection equipment, jammers to disrupt control links, and weapons to defeat drones at short range—capabilities he said are currently available only in limited numbers at sensitive sites.
The government is expected to review Defence’s counter-drone dossier this week. If endorsed by the Council of Ministers on Friday, the package would expand detection networks and deploy more defeat options at priority locations. Authorities have urged residents near military installations to report suspicious activity and to adhere to national and EU drone regulations.
Belgium is not alone in reporting such activity. Several NATO members have recorded drone incursions at military facilities and airports in recent weeks, prompting heightened alert levels and renewed investment in counter-UAS systems. Belgian officials have not drawn conclusions about coordination or foreign involvement in the Kleine-Brogel events. The investigation continues.
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