Europe Unprepared for Drone Attacks on Critical Infrastructure, Consultant Warns
Drone expert Robert Garbett warns European governments are unprepared for drone attacks on critical infrastructure, urging national-level defense. He notes a lack of preparations despite incidents like the 2025 Chernobyl attack, advocating for advanced counter-drone systems and national intelligence involvement.
European governments must organize national defenses against drone attacks on critical infrastructure, rather than relying on private operators, warns drone expert Robert Garbett. Six months after drones, possibly linked to Russia, were sighted near infrastructure in Denmark and other European countries, Garbett observes no significant preparations.
Garbett, who heads a leading drone consultancy, states Europe is «not at all prepared.» He emphasizes that protecting airports, gas storage, and power stations is a national responsibility, not one to be left to individual organizations. He cited Germany's 1,000+ suspicious drone sightings in 2025 and the UK's 250 incursions near military facilities as evidence of the threat.
He highlighted the February 2025 incident where a Russian Shahed drone damaged the Chernobyl nuclear plant's protective structure. Garbett advocates for forward deployment of multi-layered counter-drone defense systems, including aircraft with lasers and interceptors, to detect, track, and eliminate threats before they reach targets or cities. He also suggests national intelligence services handle internal drone threats.