The head of Britain's armed forces, General Richard Knighton, said London had sent a Royal Air Force technical unit to assist Belgium in investigating repeated drone incursions. The move follows several recent incidents where unidentified drones entered Belgian airspace, including near sensitive military and transport infrastructure.

According to Reuters, flights at Brussels International Airport and Liège Airport - one of Europe's largest cargo hubs - were temporarily suspended last week after drone sightings. Belgian authorities also confirmed reports of suspicious activity near a U.S. military base located in the country.

Speaking to BBC World, Knighton said,“We do not yet know who is behind these drones, and neither do the Belgians. Our role is to provide equipment and technical expertise to help identify and counter these incursions.”

U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey said the deployment includes specialists from the Royal Air Force's counter-drone unit.“As hybrid threats grow, our strength lies in our alliances and collective determination to defend and protect critical airspace and infrastructure,” he stated.

Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken said the recent incidents could be part of a“coordinated espionage operation.” He added that while no direct link had been proven, the scale and precision of the drone activity suggested“a sophisticated and organized effort.”

In recent months, similar drone sightings have been reported across Poland, Germany, Denmark, and other European Union countries, prompting concern over potential surveillance or hybrid warfare tactics. Western officials have in some cases suspected Russian involvement, though Belgium has not attributed blame.

As Brussels hosts the headquarters of both NATO and the European Union, as well as holding tens of billions of euros in frozen Russian assets, analysts say the incidents underscore Europe's growing vulnerability to new forms of aerial and cyber espionage.

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