· More than 250
drone incidents near UK military sites in 2025, double the number
in 2024.
· Defence
personnel will be given new powers through the Armed Forces Bill
to defeatdrones threatening Defence sites.
· New legislation
will also allow personnel to take action against land and
maritime drones posing a threat.
The security of key military sites will be strengthened as
Defence personnel will be given stronger powers to defeat drones
near bases as part of new measures being introduced in the Armed
Forces Bill.
It comes as newly confirmed figures demonstrate the growing
threat rogue drones are posing toMinistry of Defence sites
throughout the UK. In 2025, there were 266 reported Uncrewed
Aerial Vehicle incidents near Defence sites, a rise from the 126
incidents reported in 2024.
The legislation will give authorised personnel the power to take
out drones deemed to be posing a threat to any Defence site
without the need for assistance from police.
The Armed Forces Bill will also allow personnel to destroy land
drones or those that can be operated on or under water, in
addition to aerial drones.
Current legislation that enables interference with drones for the
purpose of preventing crime can only be used by the police and
certain other agencies. The new measures allow defence personnel
to protect their own sites and operations.
Defence Secretary MP said:
“The doubling of rogue drones near military sites in the UK in
the last year underlines the increasing and changing nature of
the threats we face.
“Through the Armed Forces Bill, we're giving our military greater
powers to take out and shoot down threatening drones near bases.
And stepping up investment in counter-drone technology to keep
Britain secure at home and strong abroad."
The new powers will add to the significant measures introduced by
this government to increase the security of military sites,
reversing years of under-investment and ensuring bases meet the
highest security standards.
The Government has quadrupled its spending on Counter Uncrewed
Aerial Systems since taking office, allocating over £200 million
this year alone, reflecting the priority of autonomy and
counter-drone technology as a key deliverable throughout the
Strategic Defence Review.
Recent months have seen the introduction of restricted airspace
at 40 defence sites, the deployment of new drones to guard
military bases, investment in advanced CCTV and integrated threat
monitoring systems to strengthen base security, and £20 million
in digital transformation to modernise security systems.
Advanced technology like automated track-and-detect systems are
now operational at multiple key sites, delivering 24/7
surveillance and enabling rapid response to threats.
The Armed Forces Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on
15 January 2026 and had its second reading on 26 January.
