Belgian chief of staff orders troops to shoot down suspicious drones safely

The Chief of Staff of the Belgian Army, Frédéric Vancina, has ordered soldiers to shoot down suspicious drones, Nieuwsblad reports.

The decision follows recent sightings of drones over several Belgian military bases.

Vancina stressed that drones may only be shot down when it can be done safely — that is, “without collateral damage.” He noted that downing a drone is not an easy task: many operate at night, are small and highly manoeuvrable, and often disappear before police or military units arrive.

The chief of staff also warned that Belgian armed forces currently have limited resources to counter such drones. He said efforts are being accelerated to enhance Belgium’s drone defence capabilities.

According to media reports, weapons manufacturer FN Herstal has been asked to supply the defence ministry with specialised anti-drone shotguns as soon as possible — powerful firearms that can disable drones by striking them with a spread of small projectiles, rendering them uncontrollable.

However, Vancina cautioned that shooting down a drone carries risks, since a downed drone could fall onto other military equipment or personnel. That is why he reiterated that soldiers must always consider potential secondary damage when engaging a drone.

By Khagan Isayev