“I am very pleased to announce today that we will be signing an agreement with the Netherlands to acquire more air defence systems,” said Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken. “We are opting for NASAMS, a Norwegian defence system, which should protect our airspace.”
Minister Francken also emphasised the need for stronger anti-drone capabilities and swift implementation of the new systems. “I will present a dossier to cabinet within two weeks proposing to purchase more and activate the systems before March next year. So things will move quickly,” he stated.
NASAMS is a modular, advanced system comprising radars, command posts, launchers, and communication units, offering up to 94 per cent effectiveness against incoming threats. However, its high performance comes at a cost, with each missile priced between hundreds of thousands and over a million euros, depending on the type.
Each launcher holds six missiles, and with several launchers per battery, the total cost of ammunition rises significantly. While the €2.5 billion price tag covers the systems themselves, it does not include the cost of the missiles.
During a NATO exercise in Norway, VRT News journalist Bert De Vroey observed the NASAMS in action, noting that “the weapon system did what it was supposed to do: shoot incoming projectiles out of the sky.” He added that “not everything went according to plan” and “sometimes the weapon systems malfunctioned”, though these issues may have involved other systems.
The agreement is also expected to support the Belgian defence industry, particularly the Walloon arms manufacturer FN Herstal. The company has reportedly reached an agreement with American producer RTX to allow AMRAAM missile production in Norway.
Although local production will take time to begin, Belgium will be able to “borrow” missiles from Poland in the interim.
Source: VRT.be.
