RAF jets in near-misses with mystery drones over UK skies

The RAF had close brushes with two unidentified drones in British skies this year, it has been reported.

The near misses happened days apart during simulated air combat training and an air-to-air refuelling exercise over the North Sea in February this year.

One was spotted hovering 40 times above the legal limit for commercial drones, The Telegraph reports.

The air force flagged the sightings with police and ‘multiple different external investigations’ have been launched, according to incident logs seen by the paper.

Drones are usually banned from flying above 400ft to reduce any chance of them encountering any other aircraft.

While there is no direct evidence linking the mystery sightings to hostile states, the reports come amid growing concerns drones are being deployed for spying operations.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson did not comment on the incidents directly, but said they ‘remain highly vigilant to the potential threats posed to defence and stand ready to respond appropriately’.

‘While reports of drones sightings are not necessarily hostile, where activity is assessed to pose a credible threat, Defence has measures available to respond appropriately and we do not comment on specific threat assessments.’

British military sites have been targeted by drones hundreds of times in the last year amid escalating tensions with Russia and Iran, figures released last month show.

A Freedom of Information request by the Independent showed 340 security incidents involving drones at or near Ministry of Defence sites in the UK in the year up to August 2026.

In 2025, there were 250 incidents recorded, nearly double the 126 a year earlier.

It comes as the Kremlin warned British military facilities in Ukraine would be considered ‘legitimate targets’ if they are used to support long-range strikes against Russia.

Conservative former defence minister and army veteran Tobias Ellwood said the drone threats in the UK showed the British military is viewed ‘as a target’.

He told the Independent: ‘In the UK we are doing nothing about protecting our critical national infrastructure, as well as military bases, and it’s such an easy way to disrupt.

‘At the moment these are just rogue drones, and they’re passive, but it’s not a huge step to then add a kinetic dimension to them to make them introduce lethality.

‘All this points to the fact that we are not taking the rise in threat levels that our European cousins are addressing seriously at all.’

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said in response to that report: ‘National security is the first duty of Government.

‘The public should be reassured that the UK and its allies remain vigilant against potential threats and adversaries should be in no doubt about this Government’s resolve to stand against aggression towards the UK and our allies.’

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