Britain is deploying Royal Air Force specialists to Belgium to assist in countering drone incursions that disrupted flights at Brussels and Liège airports last week. The move follows a formal request for help from Belgian authorities after sightings of unidentified drones near airports, military bases and nuclear facilities.
Sir Richard Knighton, the chief of the UK’s armed forces, confirmed the deployment, stating that Britain would provide “our people, our equipment” to support Belgium. He cautioned, however, that the origin of the drones remained unclear. “We don’t yet know” who was responsible, Knighton said, though Russia has been widely identified as the most likely culprit.
Flights were delayed and diverted last Thursday after the sightings, which Belgian officials described as highly disruptive. Germany and France have already sent specialist teams to assist, and Britain’s contribution is expected to come from the RAF’s counter-uncrewed aerial systems unit.
German defence minister Boris Pistorius suggested last week that the incursions were “likely connected with the fight over the use of Russian frozen assets held by Belgium”. European and British politicians have been debating how to release Russian central bank assets, most of which are held in Belgium, to support a €140bn (£120bn) loan to Ukraine.
Knighton’s comments came during his first television interviews since becoming chief of defence staff in September, succeeding Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. A former head of the air force, Knighton led tributes at the Cenotaph in London on Sunday morning, alongside the king and prime minister.
Speaking to the BBC, Knighton described Russia as “the most pressing threat right now” and emphasised the need for Britain to strengthen its defences against “hybrid warfare”. He cited threats below the traditional threshold of war, including cyber attacks, sabotage, and assassination plots on British soil.
In a separate interview with Sky News, Knighton acknowledged that the armed forces had been “hollowed out” by three decades of cuts since the end of the cold war. “We know that we have gaps in things like weapons stockpiles. We know that we don’t have all the people that we need,” he said.
UK defence spending is projected to rise from £62.2bn this year to £71bn in 2027-28, in line with government plans to increase the military budget to 2.6% of GDP during this parliament. However, Knighton noted that resources had been constrained by years of restricted budgets, overspending, and a focus on new equipment rather than operational costs.
Knighton also addressed concerns about the safety of women in the armed forces, following the death of Gunner Jaysley Beck in 2021. Beck, aged 19, took her own life after being sexually assaulted by a senior colleague and subjected to harassment by another line manager.
Earlier this month, Beck’s mother, Leighann McCready, said women should not join the army, claiming they were not adequately protected in a male-dominated environment. “They protect themselves and not the soldiers,” she said.
Knighton described the case as “horrible” and “entirely unacceptable”. He added: “It was criminal. She was let down. I can understand why Jaysley Beck’s mother has said that.”
He said reforms had since been introduced, including the creation of an independent defence serious crimes unit and a victim and witness care unit. Victims of serious offences such as rape and sexual assault are now able to choose whether their cases are handled in military or civilian courts.
Knighton insisted he was “confident the armed forces are a safe place for women” as a result of these changes, though campaigners continue to call for further reforms.
The deployment of RAF specialists to Belgium underscores Britain’s commitment to supporting Nato allies amid growing concerns over Russian activity in Europe. The incidents highlight the increasing threat posed by drones and the wider challenges of hybrid warfare confronting European security.
