Belgium reactivates two brigades

Belgium reactivated its 1st and 7th Brigades, which will be equipped with Griffon (photo of its Belgian roll-out at Mol in Staden, West Flanders, on 15 July 2025) and Jaguar armoured fighting vehicles. (Belgian MoD/Gert-Jan D'haene)

Belgium reactivated its 1st and 7th Brigades on 3 February, splitting the Brigade Motorisée (Motorised Brigade) that it replaced into two. Headquartered at Bourg Léopold, the 1st Brigade commands Dutch-speaking units and the bilingual Jagers Te Paard/Chasseurs à Cheval battalion, while the 7th Brigade based in Marche‑en‑Famenne will command Francophone units.

Placing the reactivations in the context of the growing threat to Europe and the need for a higher readiness level, Major General Jean-Pol Baugnée, commander of Belgian land forces, said, “NATO requires us to maintain two brigades. With this reactivation, we are demonstrating that Belgium is ready to fulfil its obligations and is preparing for potential high-intensity conflicts.” He added that the arrival of Franco-Belgian Motorised Capability (Capacité Motorisée: CaMo) Griffon 6×6 Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôle (VBMR) heavy multirole armoured vehicles and Jaguar armoured reconnaissance vehicles makes the change opportune. There are no plans to move units.

The 1st Brigade consists of the 8/9e Linie headquarters, Bataljon Bevrijding (Liberation Battalion) – 5e de Linie, and Bataillon 2/4e Lansiers in Bourg-Léopold, as well as the Bataljon Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn – Grenadiers in Lombardsijde and the Bataljon Jagers te Paard in Heverlee. Its support units are the Bataljon Artillerie (Artillery Battalion) in Brasschaat, Lombardsijde, and Marche-en-Famenne; 11e Bataljon Genie (Engineer Battalion) in Burcht; 18e Bataljon Logistiek in Bourg-Léopold in Heverlee and Lombardsijde; and 10e Groep CIS (Command and Information System Group) in Bourg-Léopold.