France thwarts unauthorized drone overflight at nuclear submarine base

PARIS French authorities are probing an unauthorized drone flight over the Atlantic coast site hosting France's nuclear submarines, officials confirmed Friday. According to local media, multiple drones were spotted on Thursday night above the le Longue facility in Brittany, but military sources declined to provide specifics regarding the quantity or types of drones involved.

The le Longue base serves as the home port for Frances quartet of nuclear ballistic missile submarines: Le Triomphant, Le Tmraire, Le Vigilant, and Le Terrible. Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin stated that military personnel successfully intercepted the drone incursion, though she did not clarify whether this involved gunfire, electronic countermeasures, or other tactics.

The origin of the drone operation remains unknown. Any intrusion above a military installation is strictly forbidden in our country, Vautrin emphasized. I commend the actions taken by our forces at the le Longue site.

In recent months, several European Union nations have experienced unexplained drone activity in their airspace. Some incidents caused airport closures and flight disruptions, while others occurred near or above military sites. Russia has been implicated in certain violations, particularly in Estonia and Poland.

Author: Logan Reeves