No state ‘adequately equipped’ to tackle drone incursions, ex-Irish defence chief says

Ireland’s former defence chief has issued a stark warning that no nation currently possesses sufficient capabilities to counter unauthorized drone activities, following an alarming incident during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Dublin.

According to domestic media reports, four unidentified drones were detected hovering in Dublin’s airspace on Monday, near the expected flight path of the Ukrainian leader’s aircraft and within an active no-fly zone. The crew of the Irish naval vessel LÉ William Butler Yeats first spotted the unmanned aerial vehicles while patrolling Dublin Bay.

The Journal, which first reported the story, revealed that the naval vessel lacked the specialized equipment needed to disable the drones. Military commanders ultimately decided against using conventional weapons to shoot them down, highlighting a significant security vulnerability.

Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett, who served as Ireland’s military leader from 2015 to 2021, defended this decision as “sensible” given the circumstances. “In such situations, proportionality and the avoidance of unintended escalation are as important as demonstrating that we are aware of, and actively monitoring, this kind of activity,” Mellett explained.

He emphasized that the drones did not present “a clear and present danger” that would have justified more aggressive countermeasures. More concerning, however, was his assessment that “nobody and no state is adequately equipped” to handle such incursions effectively.

While the drones themselves did not appear on flight tracking systems, maritime tracking service Marine Traffic confirmed the presence of the LÉ William Butler Yeats in Dublin Bay during the incident. FlightRadar24 data also showed Irish patrol aircraft operating in the area, suggesting a coordinated security response was in place for the high-profile diplomatic visit.

The Dublin incident is not isolated. Similar drone incursions have been reported with increasing frequency across several European Union member states in recent months, raising serious concerns about airspace security throughout the continent.

Though the origins of many of these unauthorized drones remain unidentified, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has characterized them as elements of “hybrid warfare” being conducted by Russia. This assessment comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and Western nations over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The incident underscores growing challenges facing European nations in securing their airspace against increasingly sophisticated unmanned threats. Traditional air defense systems are often optimized for larger aircraft rather than small, agile drones that can be difficult to detect and neutralize.

Security analysts note that commercially available drones have become more advanced and accessible in recent years, making them attractive tools for intelligence gathering, surveillance, or potentially more harmful activities. This democratization of aerial technology has created a complex security environment that military and law enforcement agencies are struggling to adapt to.

For Ireland, which maintains a policy of military neutrality and has historically maintained lower defense spending than many of its European counterparts, the incident highlights particular vulnerabilities. The country’s geographical position on Europe’s western edge makes it an important strategic location, yet its defense capabilities against emerging threats appear limited.

As President Zelensky continues his diplomatic tour of European capitals seeking support for Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression, the drone incident in Dublin serves as a troubling reminder of the evolving nature of security threats facing Western democracies.