UK says sightings of “rogue drones” near military bases have doubled in the past year amid tensions with Russia

The UK government wants to give military personnel new powers to shoot down unmanned drones near British bases, citing a surge in reported drone incidents related to defense installations in the past year as European countries suspect. Russia threatens NATO countries with “hybrid warfare.”

“In 2025, there were 266 reported Uncrew Aerial Vehicle incidents to the ear of Defence, which is an increase on the 126 incidents reported in 2024,” the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Monday announcing the proposed changes to UK regulations. Current rules require the military to call local police when a suspected illegal drone is seen near a base.

“The doubling of drones near UK military bases in the past year underlines the growing and changing nature of the threats we face,” British Defense Secretary John Healey said in a statement. “With the Military Bill, we are giving our military greater powers to intercept and shoot down threatening drones near bases. And increasing investment in counter-drone technology to keep Britain safe at home and strong abroad.”

According to the department, the new law will give “authorized personnel” the “power to remove drones deemed dangerous in any area of ​​defense without the need for police assistance,” including air, sea and “ground drones.”

Drones of all kinds – the world, the sea again the wind – They have become important tools for both sides during the progress of Russia, on a full scale invasion of Ukraine. Last year, however, European NATO countries reported unidentified drones flying near military bases and civilian infrastructure hundreds of miles from Ukraine, forcing the closure of airports at least several times.

While the Ministry of Defense in the UK did not mention any foreign threat in its statement on Monday, the violation of the mysterious plane was reported in about a dozen other European countries last year, including Lithuania, which called it part of the country. the rise of Russian “hybrid warfare” in retaliation for European support for Ukraine.

Moscow denies it is responsible for the airspace violations in Europe, dismissing the reports as “Russiaphobia.”

While dealing with entering its bases, Britain has also played a major role in assisting other NATO countries to respond to eventsincluding sending specialized anti-drone equipment and personnel to Belgium in November after numerous sightings near air bases and military bases there.

Belgium’s main international airport in Brussels, and one of Europe’s largest cargo airports, near the city of Liege, was forced to close for a while at the time due to drone attacks. Before that, authorities reported a series of unidentified people drone flights near a military base in Belgium where US nuclear weapons are stored.

A few months earlier, Denmark’s second largest airport was located they were forced to stop the flights for the same reason, and there have been drone sightings near NATO military bases in the country, too.

The British military noted on Monday that the current government has “quadrupled its use of Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems” since taking office a year and a half ago, “allocating more than £200 million.” [$274 million] this year alone, which shows the importance of autonomy and counter-drone technology as a key factor that can be delivered. “

The ministry said the investment includes new drones used to monitor military bases, improved video surveillance and “integrated threat monitoring systems to strengthen security.”

British officials announced last spring a successful field test of a new type of weapon designed specifically to combat “swim attacks,” in which multiple drones are launched in tandem to defeat defenses.

In a statement last April, the British government said the military had “successfully tracked, targeted and defeated a number of drones” for the first time using “a new UK-developed guided missile”.

The “RapidDestroyer,” a Radiofrequency Directed Energy Weapon (RF DEW), was developed by a consortium led by the British arm of French defense giant Thales. The test took place at an army armory in Wales, “and was the largest test carried out by the British Army to date,” according to the government.