Denmark Airports Disrupted as Mystery Drones Circle Bases Hosting F-35s

By Staff, Agencies

Denmark briefly halted flights at Aalborg Airport after multiple unidentified drones were seen hovering near the runway late Wednesday, authorities said — the latest in a series of puzzling sightings that also involved facilities housing Denmark’s fighter jets.

Northern Jutland police reported “more than one drone” with lights circling Aalborg at about 9:44 p.m., and similar objects were later observed near Esbjerg, Sønderborg and Skrydstrup — the base that hosts F-16s and the newly arrived F-35s.

Despite hours of monitoring and assistance from the Danish armed forces, officials could not identify the craft, who launched them, or their purpose. Police said it was “too early to say” whether the activity was deliberate, and that attempts would be made to bring any hostile UAVs down if feasible. In the end the drones vanished without being intercepted and no immediate explanation was found.

The incident follows other recent drone-related disruptions in the region: Copenhagen Airport was forced to suspend flights for four hours after similar sightings, and Oslo Airport reported a brief closure the same night.

Authorities and commentators have speculated about wider campaigns or unrelated coincidence; Russia’s ambassador in Copenhagen rejected suggestions of Moscow involvement as “ungrounded”.

Analysts note the pattern echoes last year’s wave of mysterious drone reports across the US and Europe, many of which later proved to be misidentified aircraft, authorized drones or false alarms amplified by public anxiety.

Danish investigators have opened inquiries into the latest sightings as they try to establish whether these were dangerous intrusions or a string of unexplained but nonhostile events.