Belgium’s Port of Antwerp is set to install its own NASAMS air defence system beginning in 2027 to safeguard a large portion of its critical industrial and logistics infrastructure from aerial threats. Prime Minister Bart De Wever announced the initiative during the annual Port of Antwerp-Bruges community gathering, stating that the first battery alone will be able to cover nearly two-thirds of the port area. NASAMS, a medium-range layered air defence system, integrates a surveillance radar, three to four missile launchers, and a fire control centre that processes sensor inputs and coordinates engagements. The system is particularly suited to counter aircraft and cruise missile threats, which pose significant risks to coastal and industrial hubs. In addition, De Wever confirmed that Belgium has ordered a dedicated anti-drone capability to address repeated incursions by small, unregistered UAVs over sensitive locations such as nuclear facilities and chemical plants.
Belgium’s air defence expansion extends beyond port protection. In June 2025, the government approved the acquisition of 10 NASAMS batteries from Norway’s Kongsberg under a joint arrangement with the Netherlands, marking one of the country’s most substantial air defence investments in decades and closing long-standing capability gaps. To strengthen short-range defences, Belgium also confirmed plans in 2025 to procure Rheinmetall’s Skyranger mobile air defence systems under its Strategic Vision 2025 framework. Further enhancing its layered architecture, Brussels signed a letter of intent in May 2025 to purchase between 200 and 300 Polish-made Piorun man-portable air defence systems to improve protection against low-altitude threats such as drones and helicopters.
