BRUSSELS, November 6. /TASS/. Belgium will establish a national air safety center by January 1, Defense Minister Theo Francken told reporters after a meeting of the national Security Council, convened in connection with the flights of unidentified drones over the military bases.

"The Security Council has studied the latest drone incidents. A clear decision has been made - the national air safety center will start operating by January 1, 2026. It will ensure optimal surveillance and protection of Belgium's airspace," the minister said.

Earlier, Francken said Belgium will urgently purchase 50,000 euros worth of anti-drone equipment for the army, including radio-electronic "guns" that jam the drone's signal, and pump-action smoothbore rifles for hitting drones with shot at short and ultra-short distances.

The second stage of the fight against UAVs includes the allocation of 500,000 euros for anti-drone means, including detection and tracking tools, which should allow detecting not only the drones, but also their operators.

As previously reported by the Brussels Times newspaper, the problem of drones is not new at all to Belgium. In 2024, unidentified UAVs were detected 31,000 times near the country's critical infrastructure facilities, which did not prompt any nationwide panic.