British troops to get powers to shoot down drones near military bases

Soldiers are to be given new powers to shoot down unidentified drones believed to be threatening UK military bases in response to a recent spate of incursions and sightings in Europe.

John Healey, the defence secretary, will announce the measure at a speech in the City of London on Monday, in which he will also warn of an increased level of Russian drone attacks into Ukraine and eastern Europe.

At present, drones can be neutralised electronically through signal or GPS jamming, but the plan is to give extra powers to use force, which may be extended to Heathrow, Gatwick and other airports.

“We are developing new powers – to be put into law through our armed forces bill – to shoot down unidentified drones over UK military sites,” Healey is expected to say at an event hosted by the lord mayor of London.

Twenty-one unarmed Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace last month, closing four airports and forcing Nato to scramble jets in response, in an incursion Warsaw believes was probably deliberate.

Drones were also seen over military bases and closed airports in Denmark and other Nordic countries in September, having been suspected of being launched from a tanker. But they were not identified as Russian because none were shot down.

Small drones were also seen last November at four RAF bases used by the US air force, including RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, where US nuclear warheads have since been deployed, and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, where B-2 bombers are based. But it was unclear if they were hostile.

Firing on suspected drones presents risks to civilians and it is unclear how far the power will be useful in practice. A missile fired from a Polish F-16 during the Russian drone incursion hit the roof of a house in the eastern Lublin region, though nobody was injured.

Healey will also warn of increased Russian drone use in Ukraine. A tally by UK Defence Intelligence counts that 5,500 one-way attack drones were launched by Russia into Ukraine, 1,000 more than in August.

So far in October, the count has surpassed 3,000. The Kremlin has prioritised attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the run-up to winter, forcing blackouts across the country in the past week after sites were bombed.

Healey will say at the lord mayor’s defence and security lecture that this is part of an expanding campaign of Russian aggression, which has spread from Ukraine into Europe.

“Last month, we saw drones cross the Polish border. Days later, Russian jets violated Estonia’s airspace, while at the same time, Russia mounted a concerted campaign to subvert Moldova’s election,” he will say.