European Airports Face Rising Drone Threats: NATO Suspects Russian Hybrid Warfare Campaign

European authorities are implementing serious measures to address the emerging threat.

Unidentified drones have been detected near critical infrastructure across Western Europe recently, including airports, military installations, and power facilities, prompting concerns about potential "hybrid warfare" tactics possibly orchestrated by Russia. NATO countries supporting Ukraine have reported sightings in Poland, Belgium, and Denmark, according to BBC reports. The most recent incident involves alleged drone activity over the Doel nuclear power plant near Belgium's Port of Antwerp, though these observations remain unconfirmed.

Despite no confirmed attacks occurring, these incidents create significant aviation safety hazards, cause widespread travel disruptions, and are broadly interpreted as "hybrid warfare" designed to test European security systems and create discord.

Russian involvement is suspected by certain officials, although Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov has rejected accusations against Russia regarding European drone incidents, describing them as "unfounded" and criticizing European leaders for hastily blaming Moscow without evidence. "European politicians today readily attribute any problem to Russia," he stated.

Why These Incidents Create Concern: The presence of drones, even small models, presents genuine collision risks with commercial aircraft, especially during vulnerable takeoff and landing phases.

The repeated sightings have necessitated temporary closures at airports including major European hubs like Munich, Brussels, Copenhagen, and Oslo, resulting in costly cancellations affecting thousands of travelers.

These events highlight a critical vulnerability in Europe's capabilities to detect and counter unauthorized drone operations around essential infrastructure, including military facilities, energy plants, and government complexes.

European authorities are responding with heightened vigilance and new protective measures. Airports are now deploying sophisticated detection systems, including radar sensors and radio frequency monitoring equipment. Germany has introduced legislation allowing law enforcement to neutralize drones under specific circumstances, though implementing active countermeasures in civilian airspace presents both safety and legal challenges.

"Drone Wall" Initiative

European defense ministers have agreed to develop a continental "drone wall" along borders to enhance detection, tracking, and interception capabilities against unauthorized drones. This ambitious project envisions creating an integrated network of sensors, signal jammers, and interception systems, though significant obstacles remain regarding funding, international coordination, and technological limitations. European Union leadership is currently evaluating the proposal, with nations including France and Germany expressing reservations.

Funk Kirkegaard assessed the plan stating, "I wouldn't describe it as entirely unrealistic, but it's certainly very ambitious."

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has announced that a comprehensive anti-drone system should be fully operational by late 2027, functioning as a component of the EU's Defense Roadmap for strengthening protection against aerial threats.

"For nations bordering Russia—including the Baltic states, Poland, and even Germany, which lies within range of long-distance drones—developing such protective infrastructure is absolutely crucial," noted Robert Tollast, a research fellow at a Whitehall think tank.

However, another security analyst clarified that the initiative doesn't aim to create an impenetrable barrier.

"The concept isn't to construct a completely sealed wall or impervious system. That's not feasible considering both the extensive coverage required and the limitations of current technologies, which aren't entirely foolproof. Rather, the approach combines various countermeasures designed to detect different drone types and neutralize them," the analyst explained.