‘No other plausible explanation other than drones for 42 reports over military sites’ says Defence Minister Francken

In the defence parliamentary select committee opposition MPs grilled Francken over the VRT News report by Pano ‘Where are the drones?’, which, among other things, raised questions about the numerous drone sightings at the end of last year. Francken acknowledged that many of the total of 558 sightings above sensitive locations at the end of 2025 and the start of this year turned out to be false. He also said that this was ‘not unusual’ in the absence of a comprehensive detection system.

However, Francken referred to an investigation carried out by the military intelligence service ADIV into drone sightings over military barracks. That investigation also revealed that a great many reports were false. Yet, of the total of almost 250 reports over military barracks, there was ‘no other plausible explanation than a drone’ for 42 of them.

There is no absolute certainty, said Francken, but he clarified that for the ADIV, certainty only means physical evidence, for example if a pilot has been found or the drone itself. Nobody has managed to do this so far. In almost 1 in 5 reports, there was therefore “a very high probability” that drones were involved, Francken said.

‘Anyone who claims today that there were no drones is therefore ignoring the findings of our own intelligence service. And let’s be honest: as long as you don’t have the means to detect and neutralise drones, it stands to reason that you cannot immediately produce physical evidence,’ Francken said.