BEDEX 2026: Belgium plans to protect NASAMS with static Skyranger 30

Rheinmetall presented a concept for protecting NASAMS with static Skyranger 30s at BEDEX 2026. (Janes/Nicholas Fiorenza)

Belgium plans to protect National Surface to Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) with static Skyranger 30 air-defence systems, Janes has learnt at the Brussels European Defense Exhibition and Conference (BEDEX) 2026 held from 12 to 14 March.

At BEDEX, Rheinmetall presented a concept for protecting NASAMS consisting of Skyranger 30s on static platforms, with Ground Master 200 (GM200) Multi Mission Radar (MMR) systems providing aerial imagery for the weapon systems. The Thales stand at BEDEX had a GM200 on display.

In a joint procurement with the Netherlands, Belgium plans to purchase 10 NASAMS firing units, including one for Luxembourg, Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken announced while attending a NATO meeting with his counterparts in Brussels on 15 October 2025.

Francken told Janes on 13 March that Belgium was also studying the procurement of long-range air-defence systems such as Patriot as part of a layered air-defence system.

A Belgian army officer told Janes the same day that Skyranger 30, NASAMS, and a longer range air-defence system would be operated by the Belgian Air Force, with the army operating the Blaze interceptor unmanned aerial vehicles that Belgium is procuring.

Belgium is also rebuilding its very-short-range air-defence (VSHORAD) capabilities with the establishment of a Mistral battery as part of one of the two artillery battalions it is forming.

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Netherlands orders Skyranger 30 air-defence systems