France implements anti-drone measures following unauthorized flight over nuclear submarine base

The French armed forces activated counter-drone operations after five unmanned aerial vehicles were spotted flying over a highly secured facility that houses nuclear ballistic submarines, according to an informed source on Friday.

The drones were detected above the Ile Longue base, located on a peninsula off Brittanys coast in northwestern France, at approximately 7:30 pm (1830 GMT) on Thursday, the source revealed.

In response, the marine battalion responsible for the base launched a search and anti-drone operation. Specific details regarding the countermeasures were not immediately disclosed.

The military prosecutors office in Rennes is set to open a judicial inquiry into Thursdays events, the Atlantic Maritime Prefecture confirmed. Guillaume Le Rasle, a spokesperson for the prefecture, stated that sensitive infrastructure was not threatened and noted that it was premature to identify the origin of the drones, although the flights seemed designed to create public concern.

In recent months, Europe has seen a rise in unexplained drone activity near airports, military installations, and industrial sites, heightening security concerns. Analysts worry that such incidents could be linked to hybrid warfare tactics amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Neutralizing droneswhether by detection, jamming, or destructionpresents significant technical and safety challenges. While suspicion falls on Russian involvement, concrete evidence remains elusive.

France and the United Kingdom are the only European nations besides Russia to possess nuclear weapons. Since 1971, France has maintained a sea-based nuclear deterrent, with the Ile Longue base hosting its four ballistic missile submarines. At least one submarine is continuously at sea to uphold the nations nuclear deterrence.

Drone sightings in this restricted area are not unusual. Le Rasle noted that similar incidents have occurred before. For instance, a drone was reported over the Crozon peninsula, which includes Ile Longue, on the night of November 1718, although it did not approach military installations.

Author: Logan Reeves