A new report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has concluded that Russian drones are likely being used to survey UK military airbases as part of what it describes as the Kremlin’s broader unconventional campaign against Europe.
The report, Russia’s UAV Campaign Over Europe, states that drones were flown in the airspace of 12 NATO member states and Ireland between August 2024 and February 2026. According to the authors, the surveillance of British military sites was “highly likely” conducted using drones launched from vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet.
The think tank argues that while not every reported drone sighting was Russian-directed, and not every sighting involved a drone, the overall pattern cannot be explained solely by hobbyist activity or misidentification.
Counter-drone response gains momentum
Repeated drone sightings across Europe, concerns over unidentified drone activity in the United States and the extensive use of unmanned systems in the war in Ukraine have increased attention on protecting military installations from aerial threats.
The report highlights legal and operational challenges associated with countering drones over military bases. During peacetime, military forces generally rely on law enforcement to respond to unauthorized activity on domestic territory, limiting the immediate use of force against suspected drone operators.
As a result, personnel have typically relied on measures such as electronic warfare or drone diversion rather than kinetic interception.
In 2025, then UK Defence Secretary John Healey said the government was seeking new legal authorities to address the issue.
“We are developing new powers – to be put into law through our armed forces bill – to shoot down unidentified drones over UK military sites,” Healey said.
Air defense gaps
The IISS report also argues that the UK’s existing air defense and civil aviation radar infrastructure was designed primarily to detect fast-moving, high-altitude aircraft rather than small drones operating at low altitude.
According to the report, drones flying at night without broadcasting identification signals present a significant detection challenge, while civil aviation systems lack effective mechanisms to track aircraft that deliberately remain electronically silent.
Rather than relying on traditional high-end air defense systems, the report suggests that defending against low-cost unmanned aerial threats requires dedicated counter-UAS technologies designed to detect, track and defeat small drones.
Charlie Edwards, Co-Author of the IISS report, said the authors believe the UK and other European countries targeted by drone activity possess the capability to defend themselves against drone surveillance, provided appropriate counter-drone measures are employed.
RELATED CONTENT: How NATO is advancing counter-UAS capabilities across Europe
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