UK Troops to Get Power to Shoot Down Drones Threatening Military Bases

British troops will soon be allowed to shoot down drones threatening military bases, under new powers to be unveiled by Defence Secretary John Healey. Healey is expected to announce the change in a speech on Monday, saying: “We are developing new powers – to be put into law through our Armed Forces Bill – to shoot down unidentified drones over UK military sites.” The move is aimed at letting troops respond faster and more decisively without being delayed by red tape.

Currently, military personnel can use technology to disrupt drone signals or divert them, and only shoot them down in extreme situations. The new plan introduces what’s being called a "kinetic option" — giving soldiers and military police clear legal authority to open fire on hostile or unknown drones.

Several UK airbases — including RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Feltwell, and RAF Fairford — reported mystery drone sightings in November last year. About 60 RAF personnel were sent to assist with the investigation. Officials haven’t confirmed who was behind the incidents, but the bases are seen as strategically important for US military operations.

Across Europe, drone activity has become a major security concern. Just last month, 19 Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace, and Russian jets violated Estonian airspace days later. Although Russia denies involvement, the pattern has raised alarms among NATO members.

The UK has responded by extending RAF deployments in Poland and sending counter-drone teams to Denmark to help NATO allies detect and neutralize hostile drones. These teams are equipped with advanced tracking and identification tools.

Unidentified drones have also caused airport shutdowns in Germany, Denmark, and Norway. In Munich, drones forced closures on two consecutive days. Although no direct evidence links Russia to these incidents, authorities aren’t taking chances.

At home, the UK’s latest National Security Strategy warns of a shift in threat level: “For the first time in many years, we have to actively prepare for the possibility of the UK homeland coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario.”

During the Cold War, British bases were on alert for immediate threats, but that posture faded after the Soviet Union collapsed. Officials now say that kind of “war-readiness” needs to return.

While the new drone powers will only apply to military sites for now, Healey hasn’t ruled out extending them to civilian locations like airports in the future. Discussions around expanding those rules will depend on how the threat landscape evolves.

The plan reflects a broader concern across Europe, where several EU nations recently proposed a “drone wall” to detect and shoot down Russian drones near shared borders. As drone warfare continues to escalate — especially in Russia’s war on Ukraine, where thousands of drones are launched monthly — the UK is stepping up its defence posture at home.