Investigation Launched Into Theo Francken’s Anti-Drone Procurement

Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken has reach under scrutiny following an investigation that criticized his €50 million anti-drone plan as ineffective, and costly. The probe, reported by The Brussels Times, lambasted the minister’s response to a series of drone sightings over military sites in Belgium during the autumn of 2025. Francken had presented the investment package to cabinet the previous week, advocating for long-term spending of up to half a billion euros on counter-drone systems. The controversy intensified after suspicious unmanned aerial vehicles were observed over the Elsenborn military base in the High Fens near the German border at the beginning of October 2025. Francken told VRT radio that the drones were likely operated by professional pilots mapping sensitive locations, and he explicitly pointed to Russia as the probable source, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine and Belgium’s disproportionate targeting by state actors due to its size and strategic position. In a separate development, Francken announced in San Francisco on October 6, 2025, that several counter-drone measures originally scheduled for 2026 would be fast-tracked and deployed later that year. Speaking during Belgium’s economic mission in the city, he cited the Elsenborn overflights as the reason for accelerating the national plan. The initiative includes integrating civil and military air surveillance through Skeydrone’s detection network and establishing centralized tracking at a National Air Security Centre in Bevekom to reduce response time from detection to action. The minister’s handling of the drone incursions has triggered multiple investigations. Le Soir reported that Francken was summoned to explain the aerial intrusions, while L’Echo confirmed that prosecutors had opened an inquiry into the procurement of anti-drone equipment under his authority. RTBF noted that Francken had reacted to accusations surrounding the incidents and requested an audit of the Defence Ministry’s procurement service. Despite the criticism, Francken maintained that the drone activity was not surprising given Belgium’s vulnerability to cyber and espionage threats, reiterating that the country remains a high-priority target for hostile state actors. He emphasized that the overflights posed risks not only for espionage but also for destabilization, particularly given the strategic importance of locations like Marche-en-Famenne, which houses army headquarters.