Drones near base storing U.S. nukes could be spying, Belgium says

Main Idea: Belgium’s defense minister said drones near the Kleine Brogel air base, where U.S. nuclear weapons are stored, look like part of a spying operation.

Key Points:

• Defense Minister Theo Francken said the drones appeared in two stages: smaller ones first to test security systems, then larger ones to disrupt the area.
• He said the weekend flights were not likely to be a prank and that the operators seemed to know how to avoid simple jamming.
• Francken said Belgium can shoot drones down only when they are directly over a base, and legal rules make action harder nearby.
• The incident adds to a wider wave of suspicious drone sightings across Europe near airports and military sites.