Unidentified drones flying near British military bases will be shot down soon, under new plans set to be unveiled by Defence Secretary John Healey.
The major move was made after there were multiple sightings of unidentified drones by RAF bases Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Feltwell and Fairford last year.
Normally, soldiers are told to jam the drone’s GPS signals or use counter-drone equipment to deter them.
Soon, the military will have a ‘kinetic option’, which would allow troops and Ministry of Defence police to shoot down drones near military sites in ‘extreme’ circumstances.
Although the new powers will initially apply only to military sites, the British government isn’t ‘ruling out working to extend those powers’ to other important sites like airports, the Telegraph reported.
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Around 60 RAF personnel were assigned to help solve the UK mystery after the first drones were detected on three consecutive nights beginning November 20 last year, possibly as part of an inter-linked ‘swarm’.
All of the air force sites where drones were spotted last year are home to American forces, with the military significant Lakenheath used for American F-15 and F-35 combat aircraft and is due to host US nuclear warheads.
It’s not just the UK seeing these drones appear – multiple European military sites have also reported the objects.
Late last month, a spate of drone sightings caused alarm across northern Europe and Scandinavia.
Drone incidents over or near UK military bases in 2024
- Drone alarm activation, nothing found 111
- Drone alarm activation, pilot found, words of advice 58
- UAV/drone/quadcopter activity over prohibited space 47
- UAV/drone/quadcopter activity in the vicinity of the areas surrounding
- military/industrial partners 37
- Drones sighted, no pilot located 6
- Drone alarm activation, pilot found, evasive, searched and arrested 1
- Drone alarm activation, pilot found, warning issued. 1
- Drone found on the floor at the site, NFA 1
- Drone found on the inside of the fenceline in the grass 1
- Total: 263
(Source: Ministry of Defence Police)
The army in Norway reported seeing a possible drone near the Ørland air force base in Brekstad, as guards logged at least two reports of suspicious activity over the base, which is home to Norway’s F-35 fighter jets, according to FVN.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Denmark, suspicious drone activity was reported over the Karup military airport, the country’s largest military site, and over other locations.
The Danish defence ministry confirmed that ‘several’ drones were observed over military sites, but it has not confirmed a full list of locations.
In Estonia, a member of the public discovered a drone fragment at the Luitemaa nature reserve south of Pärnu, the ERR reported.
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