On the evening of December 4, unidentified drones were spotted over the Ile-Long naval base in France.
Points of attention
- Unidentified drones were sighted over the Ile-Long naval base in France, which hosts nuclear-powered missile submarines, triggering a response from the French military.
- The military opened fire on the drones in an anti-drone operation after detecting the airspace violation over the strategic military base in Brittany region.
- The incident raises concerns about security breaches at the base and highlights the restrictions on airspace over military installations in France.
Drones violate airspace over military base in France
This base is located on the edge of Brest harbor in the Brittany region and is home to the nuclear-powered missile submarines of the French nuclear deterrent force.
The French military responded by launching an anti-drone operation. The Marine battalion responsible for the base's security opened fire on the drones.
"Any flight over a military base in our country is prohibited. I approve of the interception by our military personnel at the Ile-Long base. The investigation is ongoing," said Catherine Vautrin, Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs of France.
She added that the origin of these drones has not yet been established.
Media reports indicate that drone flights in this restricted area are not uncommon. For example, on the night of November 18, a drone was reported to have flown over the Crozon Peninsula, which includes the island of Ile Long, but without any overflights of military facilities.
The Ile-Long base is guarded by 120 gendarmes working in coordination with the Marines. The base provides maintenance for four French submarines, at least one of which is permanently at sea to ensure nuclear deterrence.
