(MENAFN) Despite having its own specialized anti-drone police team, Belgium did not activate it during the recent AUV incidents, a news agency reported on Monday.

Instead, the Belgian authorities turned to fellow NATO nations for assistance in addressing what they describe as a “hybrid threat.”

The unit, formed four years ago and known as C-UAS, is composed of 30 certified officers armed with two drone-detection antennas, four jammers, and three net launchers, according to the article.

The police website states that the team “provides technological support in combating drones that pose a serious threat to public safety.”

However, the team was notably absent when an unidentified drone disrupted activities at Zaventem Airport near Brussels for several hours last Tuesday, and when drones were spotted near Liege Airport over the weekend.

On Sunday, Defense Minister Theo Francken revealed that the United Kingdom had dispatched a unit to Belgium to help counter drone threats.

Brussels also reached out to Berlin and Paris for support, as reported by the news agency.

A member of the unit indicated that Belgian police appear unaware of their own resources.

“We’re still guessing why we weren’t called in,” the officer told the news agency. “We didn’t even try. I think many people in the police force don’t even know we exist.”

The source added that the unit’s antennas cannot detect newer 5G-enabled drones, and the shortage of updated equipment often compels officers to rely on binoculars to track potential dangers.

Additionally, all 30 members have other duties, preventing them from providing continuous monitoring even at critical locations, according to the report.

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