detection of several drones around the Doel nuclear power station and in the vicinity of Liège airport This has raised the level of concern in Belgium following a series of similar incidents in recent days. The incidents, which have also affected Brussels-ZaventemThey have reopened the debate on the risks to the safety and management of airspace in critical infrastructure.
According to information confirmed by the operating company Engie and official sources, The Doel plant did not register any alterations in its operation.Although the Ministry of Defense has described the overflights as a serious threat and intelligence services suspect the involvement of a possible enemy, the Ministry of Defense has also indicated that the overflights may be the work of a foreign intelligence agency. state actorIn parallel, the Government has activated reinforcements and international collaboration to improve the response.
What happened at the Doel power plant
On Sunday night they were identified At least three drones over the Doel nuclear power plantlocated near the border with the Netherlands. Engie spokeswoman Hellen Smeets explained that the devices were detected by the plant safety team The incident had no impact on operations. “The relevant authorities are monitoring the situation,” he said, echoing a report by Belgian broadcaster RTL.
Disruptions at Liège airport
That same Sunday, Liège airport disrupted its traffic between 19:30 and 20:25 due to the presence of drones in the vicinity. The first alert was registered around 19:30 p.m. and shortly after, around 19:45 p.m., the appearance of two other devicesOperations resumed at 20:25 p.m., according to data from the Belgian news agency.
Cascade of incidents at Belgian airports
The events in Doel and Liège are framed within a sequence of recent incursions which have also affected the country's main airport. Last week, Brussels-Zaventem even suspended operations for two days due to drone sightings near the terminal, which reveals a pattern that worries aviation authorities.
Anti-drone capabilities and response
According to the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, the federal police have had a specialized equipment to detect and neutralize “hostile” dronesAn internal source detailed that this unit has approximately thirty certified agents, in addition to two detection antennas, four signal jammers for blocking and three net launchers for immobilization.
Even so, during last week's violation of airspace over Brussels-Zaventem Its deployment was not requested.And, according to the Belgian news agency, the authorities realized too late that they could activate that resource. The episode has reignited the debate about notification protocols, coordination and response times in incidents involving unmanned aircraft.
Hypothesis and international cooperation
On the political and security front, the Belgian Minister of Defense, Theo FrankenHe described these overflights as a "serious threat," while intelligence services are considering the possibility that it could be the interference of a state actorBelgian and German officials have pointed to Russia as a plausible possibility, a point that Moscow denies.
The United Kingdom has announced that will provide military support to Belgium Following a series of incursions of unknown origin, Air Marshal Richard Knighton, the British Chief of the Defence Staff, stated that, at the request of his Belgian counterpart, Personnel and equipment will be deployed in coordination with NATOKnighton clarified that the origin of the devices is still unknown, but that support has already begun to materialize on the ground.
Meanwhile, Belgium has announced a €50 million reinforcement to improve its defense against drones, with the support of the German Army and, now, with the additional support from the United KingdomThe goal is to accelerate the detection, neutralization, and prosecution of operators, especially in critical infrastructure and sensitive airspace.
Based on the available data, the picture painted by the sightings in Doel, Liège, and Brussels is that of a persistent threat but with limited operational impact To date, Belgium is mobilizing internal resources and international cooperation in response. Pending confirmation of the drones' origin, the priority is... closing coordination gaps and strengthen anti-drone capabilities to minimize further disruptions.
