British soldiers will soon be able to shoot down drones threatening UK military sites under new powers announced by Defence Secretary John Healey on Monday. The move marks a shift in the UK’s approach to countering the growing drone threat following a series of incursions at RAF bases used by U.S. forces and an increase in drone-related disruptions across Europe.
The new “kinetic option,” first reported by The Daily Telegraph, will authorize troops and Ministry of Defence (MoD) police to destroy drones that pose an imminent risk to military installations. Existing protocols only permit the use of electronic countermeasures, such as GPS disruption or signal jamming, to divert drones, and kinetic action has until now been restricted to extreme cases.
Officials say the expanded powers are intended to give on-site security forces greater flexibility and faster response options amid heightened concerns over aerial intrusions. While the powers will initially apply only to military locations, the government has suggested they could later be extended to civilian sites such as airports.
Four UK bases used by U.S. forces reported drone incursions in November 2024. Around 60 RAF personnel were deployed to assist the U.S. Air Force in investigating the incidents. Neither UK nor U.S. officials have identified those responsible, but the affected bases hold significant strategic value, including hosting American F-22A fighter jets.
The announcement comes amid growing European alarm over drone incursions attributed to Russia or unidentified actors. In September, 20 Russian drones reportedly crossed into Polish airspace, and Russian MiG-31 jets entered Estonian territory later that month.
EU leaders met in Copenhagen earlier this month to discuss a proposed “drone wall,” a multilayered network of sensors and weapons designed to detect and neutralize hostile drones along the bloc’s eastern borders.
Recent months have also seen multiple European airports shut down temporarily due to suspected drone activity, including incidents in Munich, Copenhagen and Oslo. Danish authorities said there was no direct evidence linking the activity to Moscow, though many European officials have described the incidents as elements of hybrid warfare.
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