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UK Military Seeks Expanded Powers to Counter Rising Drone Threats
LONDON, UK – The British government is moving to grant its military personnel new authority to intercept and neutralize unidentified drones operating near defense installations. This comes in response to a significant surge in reported drone incidents around UK military sites, coupled with broader European concerns about Russia’s alleged “hybrid warfare” tactics against NATO nations.
The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) revealed on Monday that 2025 saw 266 reported incidents involving Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) near defense sites, a substantial increase from the 126 incidents recorded in 2024. Current regulations mandate that military personnel alert local police when an unauthorized drone is detected near a base.
“The doubling of rogue drones near military sites in the U.K. in the last year underlines the increasing and changing nature of the threats we face,” stated British Defense Secretary John Healey. “Through the Armed Forces Bill, we’re giving our military greater powers to take out and shoot down threatening drones near bases. And stepping up investment in counter-drone technology to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”
The proposed legislation would empower “authorized personnel” to neutralize drones – whether aerial, sea, or land-based – deemed to pose a threat to any defense site, without requiring police intervention.
Drones have proven to be critical assets for both sides in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, over the past year, NATO countries across Europe have reported a rise in unidentified drones flying near military bases and civilian infrastructure, often hundreds of miles from Ukraine, leading to airport closures on multiple occasions.
While the MoD’s statement did not explicitly name a foreign threat, similar airspace violations were reported in several other European nations last year. Lithuania, for instance, characterized these incidents as part of escalating Russian “hybrid warfare” in retaliation for European support of Ukraine. Moscow has consistently denied these accusations, dismissing them as “Russiaphobia.”
Beyond its own borders, the UK has actively assisted other NATO allies in addressing these incidents. In November, specialized anti-drone equipment and personnel were dispatched to Belgium following a series of sightings near Belgian airports and military bases.
Brussels’ main international airport and the Liege cargo airport were temporarily shut down due to drone incursions. Earlier, authorities reported unidentified drone flights near a Belgian military base known to store US nuclear weapons.
Denmark’s second-largest airport also experienced flight disruptions due to similar drone sightings near NATO bases in the country.
The British military highlighted its commitment to counter-drone capabilities, noting a quadrupling of spending on Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS) since the current government took office 18 months ago. Over £200 million (approximately $274 million) has been allocated this year alone to this priority. These investments include deploying new drones to guard military bases, advanced video surveillance, and integrated threat monitoring systems to bolster base security.
Last spring, British officials announced a successful field test of a new weapon designed to counter “drone swarm attacks,” where multiple drones are coordinated to overwhelm defenses. The “RapidDestroyer,” a Radiofrequency Directed Energy Weapon (RF DEW) developed by a consortium led by the British arm of Thales, successfully tracked, targeted, and defeated drone swarms during a military exercise in Wales. The government described it as the British Army’s largest counter-drone swarm exercise to date.