THE military hardware deployed to stop drones disrupting flights at Gatwick Airport has been withdrawn, the Ministry of Defence said.

Reported drone sightings at the airport caused mass disruption to passengers in the run-up to Christmas and the Army were brought in to help bring an end to the travel chaos.

Around 1,000 flights were affected.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said on Wednesday: “The military capability has now been withdrawn from Gatwick.

“The Armed Forces stand ever-ready to assist should a request for support be received.”

Between December 19 and 21 the airport was repeatedly forced to close due to reported drone sightings.

The Israeli-developed Drone Dome system is believed to be among the technology used at the airport by the British Army.

The anti-drone equipment can detect and jam communications between a drone and its operator and was deployed on a roof at Gatwick.

The system, which is said to have a range of several miles, uses four radars to give 360-degree detection in order to identify and track targets.

Sussex Police Chief Constable Giles York said last week that police received 115 reports of sightings in the area, including 93 which have been confirmed as coming from “credible people” including a pilot and airport staff.

However some reports of drones in the area may have involved the police’s own craft, he said, but added that he is “absolutely certain” a drone was flying near the airport’s runways during the three-day period of disruption.

Last week has said he feels “really sorry” for the couple who were held for 36 hours over the Gatwick Airport drones chaos.

Paul Gait and Elaine Kirk, who were released without charge, said they felt “violated” after their home was searched and their identities exposed.

Two drones found near the airport were ruled out of being involved.

Mr York defended the decision to hold Mr Gait for an extended period, despite his employer saying he was at work during the drone flights.

He added: “I’m really sorry for what [Mr Gait] has experienced and the feeling of violation around it. [But] what might have been worse as an experience for him would have been to be released under investigation still. We were able to exhaust all our lines of inquiry on that first instance and were able to release him from police custody saying he was no longer a suspect.”