British soldiers will be granted new powers to shoot down drones threatening military bases.
The plans, to be unveiled by Defence Secretary John Healey in a speech on Monday, are intended to allow troops to take faster, more decisive action.
Four British airbases used by US forces reported mystery drone sightings last year, while drones have disrupted airspace across Europe a number of times in recent months.
The new powers will only apply to military sites, but could be extended to civilian locations such as airports.
Healey is set to announce the introduction of a “kinetic option”, first reported by the Daily Telegraph, that would enable British troops or Ministry of Defence (MoD) police to shoot drones posing a threat to a military site in the UK.
Existing protocol mandates soldiers divert drones or disrupt their GPS signal using counter-drone equipment.
Shooting down an unidentified drone is only allowed in extreme circumstances.
RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, in Suffolk, RAF Feltwell in Norfolk and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire all reported drone incursions in November last year.
About 60 RAF personnel were sent to assist the US Air Force in its investigation.
Neither US nor UK officials have said who might have been behind the drone activity.
The airbases have strategic significance for the US military. It recently deployed F-22A fighter jets to RAF Lakenheath, days after the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites in June.
Recent drone sightings across the European Union prompted a leaders’ summit in Denmark earlier this month.
Several EU member states have backed plans for a multi-layered “drone wall” to quickly detect, track and destroy Russian drones.
Twenty Russian drones crossed into Poland in September while Russian MiG-31 jets entered Estonian airspace later in the month. Russia has denied or downplayed the incursions.
Other recent drones sightings have also forced numerous European airports to close, including across two consecutive days in Munich, Germany.
Airports in Denmark and Norway also shut after unidentified drones were spotted near airport and military airspaces.
Russia denied any involvement, while Danish authorities said there was no evidence Moscow was involved.
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