Belgium Arms MQ-9B SkyGuardian Drones with Brimstone Missiles for Precision Strike Missions.

Belgium is equipping its MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones with MBDA Brimstone 3 air-to-surface missiles, adding a precision strike capability to the country's next-generation unmanned aircraft. The move transforms the fleet from an intelligence asset into a combat-capable system, strengthening Belgium's contribution to NATO operations.

Belgium ordered four MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles and two ground control stations from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. in 2020 to modernize its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The first aircraft arrived at Florennes Air Base in August 2025 and is being introduced into service with the Belgian Air Component's 2nd Squadron Comet. The decision to integrate MBDA's Brimstone 3 missile significantly expands the aircraft's operational role by enabling precision engagement of moving and stationary ground targets.

Related News: Belgium Moves Toward Armed MQ-9B with U.S. Hellfire and UK Brimstone Missiles for NATO Strike Missions

Belgium will arm MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones with MBDA Brimstone 3 missiles, adding precision strike capability to its growing ISR fleet. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

This decision brings to an end several years of political debate over the armament of military drones in Belgium. When the MQ-9B fleet was ordered, the aircraft were intended exclusively for ISR missions, although their architecture had been designed from the outset to integrate precision-guided weapons. Belgian authorities consistently maintained that the use of armed drones would fall under the same legal framework and rules of engagement as manned combat aircraft. The arrival of the Arizona coalition government in February 2025 ultimately paved the way for the decision, with arming the drones presented as a means of expanding the operational options available to the Belgian Armed Forces.

On July 23, Belgian Minister of Defence Theo Francken announced the completion of the acquisition of sixteen Brimstone 3 missiles from MBDA under a contract estimated at €10 million. He stated that the final discussions with the European defense company had been concluded and that the Belgian MQ-9B SkyGuardian fleet would receive its strike capability within the coming months. The procurement also reflects the close partnership established between Belgium and the United Kingdom around the MQ-9B platform, operated by the Royal Air Force under the designation Protector RG Mk1.

The Brimstone 3 originates from the Brimstone Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP) launched by the United Kingdom in 2018 to renew British missile inventories while meeting future export requirements. Weighing approximately 50 kilograms, the missile incorporates new internal electronics, an upgraded inertial measurement unit, and a Dual Mode seeker combining Semi-Active Laser (SAL) guidance with Millimetric Wave (mmW) radar. This architecture enhances engagement capability against both stationary and moving targets in complex environments while improving resistance to countermeasures and adverse weather conditions. The missile also features a battery providing approximately 30 percent greater engagement duration than previous versions, together with a new Insensitive Multi-Effect Warhead (IMEW) developed by TDW, designed to improve storage safety while delivering optimized effects against a broad range of targets.

The MQ-9B SkyGuardian provides a platform well suited to employing this weapon. Powered by a Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop engine, it can remain airborne for more than 40 hours depending on the mission profile while operating at altitudes above 40,000 feet. Its mission architecture includes the Lynx multi-mode radar with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) modes, complemented by an electro-optical and infrared sensor turret providing persistent day and night surveillance. The aircraft also uses secure satellite communications and NATO-compatible data links to transmit intelligence and targeting information in real time to command centers.

Integrating the Brimstone missile fundamentally changes the operational role of Belgium's MQ-9B fleet. Previously limited to intelligence collection, the drones will now be able to perform the complete engagement cycle, from target detection and identification to precision strike. This capability shortens the time between target acquisition and engagement while reducing the need to deploy manned aircraft for missions requiring prolonged presence over an operational area. It also increases flexibility during maritime surveillance, border security, ground force support, and convoy protection missions, where persistence provides an operational advantage. The Belgian Air Component has already demonstrated the expeditionary potential of the MQ-9B by deploying two aircraft from the 2nd Squadron Comet to Sigonella, Sicily, in May 2026 as part of NATO's Operation Sea Guardian to enhance maritime situational awareness in the central Mediterranean.

Beyond the modernization of Belgium's national capabilities, the acquisition reflects broader changes in European defense planning driven by lessons identified from the war in Ukraine. Armed unmanned systems are assuming a larger role in contemporary operations by combining intelligence gathering, surveillance, and precision strike within a single platform. Belgium's selection of the Brimstone 3 strengthens interoperability with the United Kingdom and other allied nations planning to field the missile, including Germany and Spain on future Eurofighter platforms. It also supports the European defense industrial base through MBDA while contributing to NATO's ongoing adaptation to a security environment characterized by evolving conventional threats, the need for responsive precision strike capabilities, and the growing operational importance of unmanned systems.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.