Belgium’s Defense Minister Theo Francken announced that Belgium and the Netherlands will jointly acquire the Norwegian-made NASAMS air defense system to enhance the protection of their airspace. “We will sign an agreement with the Netherlands to have a missile defense system. It will be the NASAMS system, the Norwegian system. We will buy NASAMS to protect our skies,” Francken told reporters ahead of a NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
He added that Belgium, which recently opened an investigation into unidentified drones flying over a military base, will deploy more anti-drone and detection systems as soon as possible.
The National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), developed by Kongsberg and Raytheon, is a network-centric, short to medium-range ground-based air defense system currently deployed in 13 countries, including Ukraine.
Each NASAMS unit consists of a command and control center, radar systems, and multiple launchers connected through a distributed command network. The system can simultaneously engage up to 72 targets, providing full situational awareness to all operators and ensuring efficient target allocation.
NASAMS features a modular architecture that supports integration with various radars, short-range systems, and counter-UAS assets, all remotely managed through the Fire Distribution Center. Its launchers are compatible with three types of missiles—AMRAAM, AMRAAM-ER, and AIM-9X Sidewinder—offering both infrared and radar-guided options. This configuration enables scalable, multi-layered defense coverage tailored to evolving aerial threats.
