Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said he wants to accelerate the country's plan to counter drones, Belgian news agency Belga reported. Francken explained that several measures originally planned for 2026 will be implemented this year, BTA reported.
The Belgian Defense Ministry intends to improve drone detection and strengthen its cooperation with the company responsible for the national sensor network. The plans include the installation of sensor systems at military sites to strengthen this network.
All data will be integrated into the National Air Security Center. The ministry also plans to invest in specialized drone countermeasure systems. "Everything will be included in my proposal. One of the conditions is that everything must be available quickly," he said, adding that he would present a report to the Council of Ministers within two weeks.
"We have lost too much time. That is why we must accelerate our efforts. The situation is urgent. We are not at war, but we are in a military crisis," said Franken, who is visiting San Francisco.
He also said that he had appointed a general to be responsible for implementing the plan. The decision was made after drones were spotted flying over the Elsenborn military base in Belgium last week.
"The investigation is still ongoing. We still do not know where the drones came from, who is behind them or what their purpose was," said Gen. Frederic Vansina, the chief of staff of the Belgian Armed Forces, yesterday. The drones "were not the kind you buy in stores," Vansina said. "This is psychological warfare, comparable to cyberattacks. The Russians are masters at fighting third parties," he added.