French Navy Detects Unauthorized Drones During Exercise in Toulon

The French Navy (Marine Nationale) reported detecting several unauthorized drone incursions into restricted airspace near Toulon during the Typhon military exercise, aimed at protecting port facilities. The Mediterranean Maritime Zone Command issued a statement on Wednesday, October 21, confirming that the aircraft entered a no-fly zone.

According to local broadcaster ICI Provence, which was the first to report the incident, the overflights took place at night between October 9 and 13 over the Toulon naval base, the Directorate General of Armament building in that city, and the base of the 54th Artillery Regiment in Hyères. The maritime prefecture confirmed that these drones were separate from those participating in the military exercise itself. A source cited by the broadcaster noted that on each occasion there were several aircraft and that they were large in size, although neither the model nor the exact number was determined.

The Marine Nationale activated the established security systems for each incident, including counter-drone and electromagnetic jamming equipment, in coordination with internal security forces. The institution stated that so far no sensitive infrastructure has been threatened and that a judicial investigation has been opened, led by the military prosecutor's office in Marseille. No aircraft were recovered, and the Navy's regional command declined to provide AFP with details on the number of incidents, the nature of the drones, or whether any were neutralized.

Exercise Typhon, led by Vice Admiral Laurent Hermann, Commander-in-Chief for the Mediterranean, ran from October 5 to 16 and combined land, air, and naval maneuvers, including the use of the Navy's own drones, across 11 municipalities. Throughout the period, air activity in the restricted zone LF-P62 remained prohibited, except for authorized military flights or civil protection emergencies. According to Maritime Executive, the episode adds to a growing series of drone disruptions recorded at various points across Europe, some attributed to Russian interference.