Britain's defense personnel will be given the authority to neutralize drones threatening military bases under measures being introduced in the Armed Forces Bill, currently making its way through Parliament.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) claims that reported sightings of unmanned aerial intruders near sensitive UK military sites more than doubled in 2025 alone to 266, up from 126 in 2024.

Current laws only allow police and certain other agencies to act against drones for preventing crime. The new measures will let defense personnel protect their own sites and operations.

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The legislation is expected to authorize personnel to take out any unmanned platforms deemed threatening, including aerial, land and underwater drones.

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"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," Defence Secretary John Healey MP said in a statement.

While Healey's words might conjure up a vision of guards bringing down an intruding quadcopter with a volley of well-aimed shots, the reality is that it will most likely involve the use of radio frequency jammers to disrupt a drone's connection with its human controllers.

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In December, for example, it was widely reported that French marines had [5]"opened fire" on five unidentified drones that flew over a strategic nuclear submarine facility at Île Longue, near Brest. A spokesperson later said the marines had "fired a jammer and not a firearm" and no drones had been shot down.

Last year, the MoD also [6]demonstrated a Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RF DEW) that uses high-energy radio waves to fry the electronics inside drones. This followed a successful demonstration in 2024 of a [7]high-energy laser mounted on an armored vehicle for taking down drones.

[8]British Army's drone degree program set to take flight

[9]Royal Navy's helicopter drone makes its first autonomous flight

[10]DragonFire laser to be fitted to Royal Navy ships after acing drone-zapping trials

[11]Aviation watchdog says organized drone attacks will shut UK airports 'sooner or later'

MoD spending on Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems has risen significantly, with more than £200 million ($273 million) allocated this year alone. Recent months saw restricted airspace introduced at 40 defense sites, new guard drones deployed and investment in advanced CCTV and integrated threat monitoring.

Advanced CCTV isn't just to deal with drones. Last year, pro-Palestine activists managed to breach the perimeter at Brize Norton airbase and [12]spray red paint into the engines of two Voyager tanker aircraft , highlighting an embarrassing lack of security and leading Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to designate the activist group as a terrorist organization.

The primary purpose of the Armed Forces Bill is to renew the Armed Forces Act 2006 (last renewed in 2021), but it also gives government an opportunity to add updates where necessary. It was introduced in the House of Commons on January 15 and had its second reading on January 26. ®

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[5] https://www.euronews.com/2025/12/05/french-soldiers-open-fire-on-drones-over-nuclear-submarine-base

[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/17/british_army_drone_weapon/

[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/12/british_army_drone_laser/

[8] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/22/british_army_invests_in_drone_degree/

[9] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/19/helicopter_drone_for_royal_navy/

[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/24/royal_navy_dragonfire_laser/

[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/12/uk_aviation_boss_says_organized/

[12] https://www.declassifieduk.org/how-much-damage-did-palestine-action-really-do-at-brize-norton/

[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/