French Navy confirms unauthorized flights near military facilities in Toulon

Several unauthorized drones were observed near and over military facilities in the Toulon area, in southern France, during the joint Typhon exercise, held from October 5 to 16. The French Navy confirmed the incidents on Wednesday and announced the opening of a judicial investigation.

According to the radio station Ici Provence, the flights targeted the naval base in Toulon, the headquarters of the Directorate General of Armament and the 54th Artillery Regiment in Hyères. The Mediterranean Zone Command said that no sensitive infrastructure had been threatened.

For each incident, the prescribed security measures were activated, including anti-drone systems coordinated with the internal security forces. Naval command did not provide details about the exact number of incidents, the type of aircraft involved or whether they had been neutralized.

According to a source cited by Ici Provence, the drones were large and were observed in groups. Their number and models could not be established, despite the use of electromagnetic jamming systems.

The Typhon exercise sought to train the protection of military installations and the port of Toulon through land, air and maritime maneuvers conducted in several locations in the port area.