Overview

• John Healey will outline the plan in a London speech, saying the government is developing statutory powers for troops and Ministry of Defence Police to bring down suspicious drones over military locations.
• The powers are not yet law and will be introduced through the forthcoming Armed Forces Bill, with officials presenting the move as a response to state-backed grey‑zone activity.
• The authority would initially be confined to military sites, with ministers not ruling out working to extend similar powers to other critical locations such as airports.
• Current practice relies on electronic countermeasures like signal jamming and diversion; the proposal adds a shoot‑down option intended to cut peacetime red tape and speed decisions.
• The announcement follows a surge in drone incidents across Europe and earlier sightings over UK bases used by US forces, alongside UK steps that include RAF air-defence patrols over Poland and the deployment of counter‑drone specialists to Denmark.