Lyce · Hybrid Watch

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Unidentified drone approaches Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in Hamburg, Germany.

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On 22 November 2024, an unidentified civilian drone was observed near the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth as the vessel entered Hamburg, Germany. During a parliamentary debate on 27 November, British Defence Minister Lord Coaker confirmed that the aircraft came no closer than 250 metres to the warship. The sighting raised security concerns because the carrier was visiting a foreign commercial port during a period of heightened attention to unidentified drone activity around British military facilities. Parliamentarians questioned whether the incident was connected to contemporaneous drone sightings at US-operated air bases in eastern England. British authorities acknowledged the potential security implications but did not identify the drone’s operator or establish a coordinated operation. No physical damage, attempted attack or confirmed intelligence-gathering activity was reported.

Occurrence
Publication
First observed
Countries
Germany, United Kingdom
Updated

Attribution

Pattern-compatible

Facts

No facts

Sources

  1. Role
    Discovery lead
    Publication

    On 22 November 2024, an unidentified civilian drone was observed near the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth as the vessel entered Hamburg, Germany. During a parliamentary debate on 27 November, British Defence Minister Lord Coaker confirmed that the aircraft came no closer than 250 metres to the warship. The sighting raised security concerns because the carrier was visiting a foreign commercial port during a period of heightened attention to unidentified drone activity around British military facilities. Parliamentarians questioned whether the incident was connected to contemporaneous drone sightings at US-operated air bases in eastern England. British authorities acknowledged the potential security implications but did not identify the drone’s operator or establish a coordinated operation. No physical damage, attempted attack or confirmed intelligence-gathering activity was reported.