Airspace
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 27 November 2025 on MOD Security Review, HCWS1103, when he plans to assess the results of the Restricted Airspace pilot.
Answered by Al Carns
Under the National Security Act 2023, all Defence sites are now designated 'Prohibited Places', protecting the majority of the Defence Estate. By establishing Restricted Airspace above key sites to further support this legislation, it will allow for the swift identification and response to unlawful drone activity above our sites. It will provide Defence and law enforcement agencies with a robust legal framework to take the appropriate action.
The Restricted Airspace pilot programme begins this spring with 40 sites, supported by electronic countermeasures and police-led responses to any incursions. The pilot will be assessed after being in operation for three months and the findings will inform the wider implementation of Restricted Airspace across Defence later in 2026.
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