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Thales Belgium Urges EU to Define Drone Rules After Mysterious Flyovers Above Its Facility

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Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko
Dariia Mykhailenko
News Writer
Thales Belgium 70mm rocket
An employee holds a miniature of a 70mm rocket during a visit to the Thales production site in Herstal, on October, 3 2025. (Source: Getty Images)

Thales, one of Europe’s leading air defense manufacturers, has raised alarm over a growing number of unidentified drones flying over its restricted facilities—and is urging to clarify when and how companies can legally jam or disable them, Politico reported on October 8.

“We are seeing more drones than what was the case a few months ago,” said Alain Quevrin, country director for Thales Belgium. He pointed to repeated drone sightings above the company’s Évegnée Fort site in eastern Liège—the only facility in Belgium licensed to assemble and store explosives for its 70 mm rockets.

According to Politico, his remarks come amid a surge in drone activity reported across Europe in recent weeks, including in Poland, Romania, Germany, Norway, and Denmark. Some of the drones detected over NATO territory, such as those crossing into Poland and Romania, were confirmed to be Russian, while the origins of others remain unclear.

In response to the growing threat, Copenhagen last week temporarily banned all drone flights, and NATO has launched a new initiative—the Eastern Sentry program—aimed at addressing critical gaps in the Alliance’s air defense network.

Quevrin noted that the rise in drone activity coincides with Thales’ accelerated effort to double production of its unguided and laser-guided FZ275 rockets to 70,000 within the next few years, provided demand remains high.

He explained that Thales has already made “a huge effort” to deploy drone detection systems across its facilities. According to Politico, the company could, in theory, use jammers to disrupt drone control signals and force them down, but “we are not allowed—legally,” he said, adding that falling drones could also pose risks to people or infrastructure.

Quevrin emphasized that Belgium and other European countries must now define “what is the right process” when such incidents occur—particularly where police responsibility ends and where that of companies begins.

Earlier, it was reported that Thales Belgium expects to manufacture around 3,500 FZ275 LGR 70 mm anti-drone rockets by the end of the year—weapons that are already being used by Ukrainian forces on the battlefield.

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