Fifteen drones spotted over Elsenborn military training ground: Belgian Defence investigates

In the early hours of Friday, no fewer than 15 drones were detected flying over the military domain of Elsenborn, located in Belgium’s East Cantons. The unusual incident is now under investigation by Belgian Defence, according to information obtained by VRT NWS.

Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) confirmed the report but stressed there is currently no evidence linking the incident to Russia.

Around 1:45 UTC +2, local police in the German city of Düren reportedly observed the drones entering German airspace from the Belgian side. “They originated above the Elsenborn training ground before crossing into German territory,” explained defence expert Jens Franssen. “Germany informed Belgian Defence, but according to my sources, the information may not have been passed along the chain of command within Defence.”

A Belgian detection system confirmed the presence of 15 drones, which were spotted on both sides of the border and at various altitudes. Their origin and operators remain unknown.

Franssen described the incident as highly unusual. “There is little of strategic interest to spy on at Elsenborn. If espionage were the goal, a location such as Kleine-Brogel Air Base—where U.S. nuclear weapons are stored—would be a more obvious target. Until we know where the drones came from or who controlled them, it’s difficult to assess the motives. What this does highlight, however, is the urgent need for effective systems to detect, track, and identify small drones.”

Belgian Defence has not provided further details at this stage, but the investigation is ongoing.