Politico: Drones That Can't Be Shot Down Are "buzzing" Over The Factories Of The EU's Top Arms Manufacturer
11- 8.10.2025, 10:37
- 10,264
The new situation calls for a change in the rules in Europe.
Europe's leading arms company Thales Belgium has claimed a "swarm of drones" over its factories.
As Politico writes, the company's 70mm missile factory is "buzzing with drones" that are appearing over production lines. One of Europe's largest air defense companies says an increasing number of drones are flying over its top-secret factories and insists clear rules are needed on how to jam or shoot them down.
"We are seeing more drones than a few months ago," said Alain Kevren, director of Thales Belgium. He drew attention to surveillance over the company's Évegnée Fort facility in the eastern region of Liège, the only Belgian site where the company is licensed to assemble and store explosives for its 70mm rockets.
His comments came amid a growing number of reports of drones, particularly in Poland, Romania, Germany, Norway and Denmark over the past month. Some, such as military drones flying over Poland and Romania, were Russian, while the origin of others was harder to determine.
In response, Copenhagen temporarily banned drone flights last week, while NATO launched a new Eastern Guardian program to address critical gaps in the alliance's air defenses.
Kevren said the company was concerned about these developments, which come at a time when Thales Belgium is seeking to double its production capacity of FZ275 unguided and laser-guided missiles to 70,000 over the next few years, subject to clear demand.
Kevren explained that the French multinational has made a "huge effort" to install detection systems at its facilities. The company said it can use jammers to block the signal needed to control drones and shoot them down.
"But the problem is that we are not allowed to do that," Kevren said.
One of the concerns about shooting down drones is that they could harm or injure people if they fall.
Countries such as Belgium must now clearly define "what the correct process is" for such situations, particularly where police responsibilities end and company responsibilities begin.
"The process needs to be clarified.... It's a situation we all have to face," Kevren said while dozens of technicians worked meticulously to assemble the company's signature munition in spotless white laboratory workshops behind a glass window.
Demand for weapons
Kevren said Thales Belgium is seeing "incredible" demand for its missiles as NATO tries to secure its skies. Most of the company's current production goes to Ukraine.
The missiles, made at the Erstal plant and Évegnée Fort, can be used against drones, with the laser-guided version aimed at larger drones flying at high altitudes, such as the Iranian-designed Shaheds.
In recent weeks, the alliance has been sharply criticized for its response to recent airspace incursions after NATO warplanes used multimillion-dollar missiles to shoot down Russian drones made of wood and foam plastic, each costing about $10,000.
Kevren said Thales has received dozens of requests for its missiles since Russian drones invaded Poland, given that their 8-kilometer-range missiles use Commonwealth standards that can be fitted into existing weapons systems.
"It's a plug-and-play solution to fight more and more types of targets," he said.
Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland are among the company's top NATO customers, and the firm claims its missiles are four times cheaper than alternatives on the market.
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