Military of Belgium
Encyclopedia
The Belgian Army is the national military of Belgium
. The Belgian Army was established after Belgium became independent in October 1830. Since that time Belgian armed forces have fought in World War I, World War II, have stood on watch in the Federal Republic of Germany during the Cold War, and have intervened several times in the Congo.
From 1885 the Force publique
was established as the military garrison and police force in the Belgian Congo
. During the Second World War a number of military units operated in exile, usually under British command: these became known as the Free Belgian Forces
. The ground troops of the Free Belgian Forces were drawn from three main sources during the course of the war. These were the Force Publique
in the Congo, expatriate Belgians in Great Britain and Canada
(which eventually formed the 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade
), and after September 1944, Belgians liberated by the Allied campaign in Northwestern Europe.
The harsh lessons of World War II
made collective security
a priority for Belgian foreign policy. In March 1948 Belgium signed the Treaty of Brussels
, and then joined NATO in 1948. However the integration of the armed forces into NATO did not begin until after the Korean War
. Later Belgium contributed the I Belgian Corps
to NATO's Northern Army Group
. Defence expenditure grew along with the force size. As a safeguard against Belgium being invaded again, two major bases, Kitona
and Kamina
, were established in the Belgian Congo
. They were almost viewed as a 'national redoubt,' permitting the survival and rebuilding of forces if Belgium was again invaded.
the three independent armed forces were merged into one unified structure and organised with four components which consists of about 47,000 active troops. They are structured as follow:
The budget of €3.4 billion is divided amongst the four components as follows :
The operational commands of the components (COMOPSLAND, COMOPSAIR, COMOPSNAV and COMOPSMED) are subordinate to the Staff Department for Operations and Training of the Ministry of Defence
, which is headed by the Assistant Chief of Staff Operations and Training (ACOS Ops & Trg), and to the Chief of Defence (CHOD).
Belgium, which is a member of the NATO and the EU, is currently restructuring its army to be able to faster respond to humanitarian crises or disasters occurring in the world (peacekeeping). In order to do so, the Belgian Army is currently phasing out all tracked vehicles in favour of wheeled vehicles. Examples are the new MOWAG Piranha
and Dingo 2 vehicles currently bought to replace vehicles such as the Leopard 1A5BE. In addition, the air component is buying new aircraft such as the Airbus A400M, NHI NH90
to accompany other aircraft for humanitarian missions such as the Agusta 109 and Alouette 2/3 helicopters. The transition will be complete by 2015. Due to Belgium's often-complicated politics, restructuring has led to decisions seen by some as illogical, such as the decision to mount the (very uncommon) CMI 90 mm cannon on the Piranha 3 (munition is very scarce and only made by a handful of manufacturers; it will probably be supplied by Mécar). Finally, other controversies have arisen around the relocation of Belgium’s ‘cavalry school´.
The Belgian Land Component is the Ground Arm of the Belgian Armed Forces. It currently has 24,361 soldiers and 10,000 civilian staff.
The Belgian Land, Air, and Medical Components all use the same military ranks
. The Naval Component's ranks are unique in the Belgian Armed Forces.
Its equipment consists of:
Weapons:
FN GP
FN Five-seven FN P90
FN FNC
FN F2000
Accuracy International Arctic Warfare
FN Minimi
FN MAG
M2 Browning machine gun M72 LAW
Mecar M72 HE grenade M18 smoke grenade Mecar M93BG grenade HAFLA small flamethrower/
MILAN
MISTRAL
LG1
120 RT Mortar
M1 Mortar
M19 Mortar
M6 mine
Vehicles:
Mowag Piranha
Pandur I M113 Armored Personnel Carrier
Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Dingo 2 Iveco LMV
M-Gator
JCB Groundhog BMW
R 1150 RT Unimog
U1350L Volvo Trucks
N10 Iveco
M250.45WM Iveco
EuroCargo Mercedes-Benz
814 Transporter Iveco
EuroTrakker Scania T144 Scania P124 CA Renault
Kerax Caterpillar D6
bulldozer Case
tracked excavator Liebherr
Litronic 912/
Fiat
-Hitachi
W170 wheeled loader Krupp
AS35 wheeled lifting crane Grove
GMK 3050 wheeled all-terrain crane Volkswagen Iltis
of Belgium. It currently has 8,600 personnel. Its current aircraft are:
Fighter Aircraft:
F-16 Fighting Falcon
Trainer Aircraft:
Aermacchi SF.260/ Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet
Helicopters:
Aerospatiale Alouette III
Agusta A109
NHI NH90
Westland Sea King
Transport Aircraft:
Airbus A330
Airbus A310
Airbus A400M
Dassault Falcon 20
Dassault Falcon 900 Embraer ERJ 135 Embraer ERJ 145 C-130 Hercules
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: RQ-5 Hunter
The Belgian Navy
is the naval arm of the Belgian military. Belgian naval ranks are unique within the Belgian armed forces, corresponding to naval ranks worldwide.
It currently has 1,600 personnel and 20 vessels. Its current vessels are:
Frigates:
Minesweepers:
Support Vessels:
Patrol Boats:
Auxiliary Vessels:
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. The Belgian Army was established after Belgium became independent in October 1830. Since that time Belgian armed forces have fought in World War I, World War II, have stood on watch in the Federal Republic of Germany during the Cold War, and have intervened several times in the Congo.
From 1885 the Force publique
Force Publique
The Force Publique , French for "Public Force", was both a gendarmerie and a military force in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1885, , through the period of direct Belgian colonial rule...
was established as the military garrison and police force in the Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
. During the Second World War a number of military units operated in exile, usually under British command: these became known as the Free Belgian Forces
Free Belgian Forces
The Free Belgian Forces were members of the Belgian armed forces in World War II who continued fighting against the Axis after the surrender of Belgium and its subsequent occupation by the Germans...
. The ground troops of the Free Belgian Forces were drawn from three main sources during the course of the war. These were the Force Publique
Force Publique
The Force Publique , French for "Public Force", was both a gendarmerie and a military force in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1885, , through the period of direct Belgian colonial rule...
in the Congo, expatriate Belgians in Great Britain and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(which eventually formed the 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade
1st Belgian Infantry Brigade
The Belgian 1st Infantry Brigade, also known as the "Brigade Piron", after its commander, Jean-Baptiste Piron, was a Belgian and Luxembourger army unit which fought in World War II...
), and after September 1944, Belgians liberated by the Allied campaign in Northwestern Europe.
The harsh lessons of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
made collective security
Collective security
Collective security can be understood as a security arrangement, regional or global, in which each state in the system accepts that the security of one is the concern of all, and agrees to join in a collective response to threats to, and breaches of, the peace...
a priority for Belgian foreign policy. In March 1948 Belgium signed the Treaty of Brussels
Treaty of Brussels
The Treaty of Brussels was signed on 17 March 1948 between Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, as an expansion to the preceding year's defence pledge, the Dunkirk Treaty signed between Britain and France...
, and then joined NATO in 1948. However the integration of the armed forces into NATO did not begin until after the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Later Belgium contributed the I Belgian Corps
I Corps (Belgium)
I Corps of the Belgian Army was a army corps active during World War I , World War II, and the Cold War.During the Belgian Campaign of 1940, it initially held defences at Liège but was forced to retreat by the German XVI Panzer Corps...
to NATO's Northern Army Group
Northern Army Group
The Northern Army Group was a NATO military formation comprising four Western European Army Corps, during the Cold War as part of NATO's forward defence in the Federal Republic of Germany.- History :...
. Defence expenditure grew along with the force size. As a safeguard against Belgium being invaded again, two major bases, Kitona
Kitona
Kitona is a town of about 4,000 persons in the Bas-Congo province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located to the southwest of the country along the Atlantic Ocean, about 190 miles southwest of the capital city of Kinshasa. Following the Second World War, a Belgian military base,...
and Kamina
Kamina
Kamina is a city in Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located at around . It is the provincial capital.- Transport :...
, were established in the Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
. They were almost viewed as a 'national redoubt,' permitting the survival and rebuilding of forces if Belgium was again invaded.
Current status
Since 2002, by a Royal Order issued by Albert II of BelgiumAlbert II of Belgium
Albert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
the three independent armed forces were merged into one unified structure and organised with four components which consists of about 47,000 active troops. They are structured as follow:
- Land Component, previously known as the Land ForceArmyAn army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
(Force terrestre / Landmacht / Heer); - Air Component, previously known as the Air ForceAir forceAn air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
(Force aeriénne / Luchtmacht / Luftmacht); - Marine Component, previously known as the Naval ForceNavyA navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
(Force navale / Zeemacht / Seemacht), - Medical ComponentBelgian Medical ComponentThe Medical Component is the medical service of the Belgian Armed Forces. It provides medical support for the Belgian Armed Forces and its operations, participates in humanitarian aid and provides certain services to the civilian society...
, previously known as the Medical ServiceMilitary medicineThe term military medicine has a number of potential connotations. It may mean:*A medical specialty, specifically a branch of occupational medicine attending to the medical risks and needs of soldiers, sailors and other service members...
(Service médical / Medische dienst / Sanitätsdienst).
The budget of €3.4 billion is divided amongst the four components as follows :
- 63% is spent on salaries
- 25% is spent on equipment maintenance
- 12% is spent on new investments
The operational commands of the components (COMOPSLAND, COMOPSAIR, COMOPSNAV and COMOPSMED) are subordinate to the Staff Department for Operations and Training of the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Belgium)
The Ministry of Defence is the Belgian ministry responsible for national defence and the Belgian military. As a result of the first Verhofstadt Government's plans to modernise the federal administration, all other ministries were transformed into Federal Public Services but in August 2007 there...
, which is headed by the Assistant Chief of Staff Operations and Training (ACOS Ops & Trg), and to the Chief of Defence (CHOD).
Belgium, which is a member of the NATO and the EU, is currently restructuring its army to be able to faster respond to humanitarian crises or disasters occurring in the world (peacekeeping). In order to do so, the Belgian Army is currently phasing out all tracked vehicles in favour of wheeled vehicles. Examples are the new MOWAG Piranha
Mowag Piranha
The MOWAG Piranha is a family of armoured fighting vehicles designed by the Swiss MOWAG , corporation....
and Dingo 2 vehicles currently bought to replace vehicles such as the Leopard 1A5BE. In addition, the air component is buying new aircraft such as the Airbus A400M, NHI NH90
NHI NH90
The NHIndustries NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries. The first prototype had its maiden flight in December 1995...
to accompany other aircraft for humanitarian missions such as the Agusta 109 and Alouette 2/3 helicopters. The transition will be complete by 2015. Due to Belgium's often-complicated politics, restructuring has led to decisions seen by some as illogical, such as the decision to mount the (very uncommon) CMI 90 mm cannon on the Piranha 3 (munition is very scarce and only made by a handful of manufacturers; it will probably be supplied by Mécar). Finally, other controversies have arisen around the relocation of Belgium’s ‘cavalry school´.
Land Component
The Belgian Land, Air, and Medical Components all use the same military ranks
Belgian military ranks
The following are the ranks and insignia of the Belgian Armed Forces.The ranks are given in English, Dutch and French .-Officers:Note*The highest rank in the Military Police is Colonel....
. The Naval Component's ranks are unique in the Belgian Armed Forces.
Its equipment consists of:
Weapons:
FN GP
Browning Hi-Power
The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
FN Five-seven FN P90
FN P90
The FN P90 is a selective fire personal defense weapon designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. The P90's name is taken from 1990, the year it was introduced...
FN FNC
FN FNC
The FNC is a 5.56mm assault rifle developed by the Belgian arms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale of Herstal and introduced in the late 1970s.-Development:...
FN F2000
FN F2000
The FN F2000 is a 5.56×45mm NATO bullpup assault rifle, designed by FN Herstal in Belgium. The F2000 made its debut in March 2001 at the IDEX defense exhibition held in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.-Design details:...
Accuracy International Arctic Warfare
Accuracy International Arctic Warfare
The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle is a family of bolt-action sniper rifles designed and manufactured by the British company Accuracy International...
FN Minimi
FN Minimi
The Minimi is a Belgian 5.56mm light machine gun developed by Fabrique Nationale in Herstal by Ernest Vervier. First introduced in 1974, it has entered service with the armed forces of over thirty countries...
FN MAG
FN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...
M2 Browning machine gun M72 LAW
M72 LAW
The M72 LAW is a portable one-shot 66 mm unguided anti-tank weapon, designed in the United States by Paul V. Choate, Charles B. Weeks, and Frank A. Spinale et al...
Mecar M72 HE grenade M18 smoke grenade Mecar M93BG grenade HAFLA small flamethrower/
MILANMILAN
MILAN " is French and German for "kite bird") is a European anti-tank guided missile. Design of the MILAN started in 1962. It was ready for trials in 1971, and was accepted for service in 1972. It is a wire guided SACLOS missile, which means the sight of the launch unit has to be aimed at the...
MISTRAL
Mistral
Mistral commonly refers to the Mistral in southern France and SardiniaMistral may also refer to:* Mistral, various ships of the French Navy, including:** Mistral class amphibious assault ship of the French Navy...
LG1
LG1
The LG1 is a modern 105 mm/30-calibre towed howitzer designed and produced by GIAT Industries of France.-Design:The LG1 howitzer is a 105 mm towed artillery piece that features both low weight and a high level of accuracy over long distances. Its lightweight construction gives the barrel...
120 RT Mortar
Mortier 120mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1
The MO-120 RT-61 or MO-120-RT is a heavy mortar of French origin. It was designed by Thomson-Brandt as the successor for the MO-120 AM-50...
M1 Mortar
M1 Mortar
The M1 is a United States 81 millimeter caliber mortar. It was used during World War II well into the 1950s when it was replaced by the lighter and longer ranged M29 Mortar...
M19 Mortar
M19 Mortar
The M19 Mortar is a very light and simple smoothbore, muzzle loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon for light infantry support developed and produced in the United States....
M6 mine
M6 mine
The M6, M6A1 and M6A2 are a series of metal cased circular anti-tank landmines produced by the United States, they were superseded in service by the larger M15 mine. The mine is normally painted olive green and has a large central pressure plate. In the centre of the pressure plate is an arming...
Vehicles:
Mowag Piranha
Mowag Piranha
The MOWAG Piranha is a family of armoured fighting vehicles designed by the Swiss MOWAG , corporation....
Pandur I M113 Armored Personnel Carrier
M113 Armored Personnel Carrier
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Dingo 2 Iveco LMV
Iveco LMV
Iveco LMV is a 4WD tactical vehicle developed by Iveco, and in service with several countries.After its adoption by the Italian Army under the name VTLM Lince , it won the “FCLV” competition of the British Army as the Panther and has been adopted by the armies of Belgium, Croatia, Norway, Russia...
M-Gator
John Deere Gator
The John Deere Gator is a family of small all-terrain utility vehicles produced by the John Deere Corporation. They typically feature a box bed, similar in function to a pickup truck, and have been made in a variety of configurations, ranging from 4 to 6 wheels. The Gator line of vehicles are...
JCB Groundhog BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
R 1150 RT Unimog
Unimog
Unimog is a range of multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device...
U1350L Volvo Trucks
Volvo Trucks
Volvo Trucks is a global truck manufacturer based in Sweden, owned by Volvo Group - AB Volvo it is the world's second largest heavy-duty truck brand....
N10 Iveco
Iveco
Iveco, an acronym for Industrial Vehicle Corporation, originally an alliance of European commercial vehicle manufacturers such as Fiat , Unic and Magirus. Iveco is now an Italian truck, bus, and diesel engine manufacturer, based in Turin...
M250.45WM Iveco
Iveco
Iveco, an acronym for Industrial Vehicle Corporation, originally an alliance of European commercial vehicle manufacturers such as Fiat , Unic and Magirus. Iveco is now an Italian truck, bus, and diesel engine manufacturer, based in Turin...
EuroCargo Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
814 Transporter Iveco
Iveco
Iveco, an acronym for Industrial Vehicle Corporation, originally an alliance of European commercial vehicle manufacturers such as Fiat , Unic and Magirus. Iveco is now an Italian truck, bus, and diesel engine manufacturer, based in Turin...
EuroTrakker Scania T144 Scania P124 CA Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
Kerax Caterpillar D6
Caterpillar D6
The Caterpillar D6 track-type tractor is a medium bulldozer manufactured by Caterpillar Inc. with a nominal operating weight of 18 tons. The military versions were classified as the SNL G152 medium tractor, under the G-numbers classification system used for army tractors.-D6 Version history:The D6...
bulldozer Case
CNH Global
CNH Global N.V. is a global, full line company operating in both the agricultural and construction equipment industries. CNH's scope includes integrated engineering, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of equipment on five continents...
tracked excavator Liebherr
Liebherr
* The Liebherr Group, a German manufacturing complex established in 1949 by Hans Liebherr* Liebherr Grazer AK* Liebherr T 282B, an off- highway, ultra class, rigid frame, two- axle, diesel/electricappointed...
Litronic 912/
FiatFiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
-Hitachi
Hitachi
Hitachi is a multinational corporation specializing in high-technology.Hitachi may also refer to:*Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan*Hitachi province, former province of Japan*Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi, members of the Japanese imperial family...
W170 wheeled loader Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
AS35 wheeled lifting crane Grove
Manitowoc Cranes
Manitowoc Cranes is a division of The Manitowoc Company, Inc in the United States. Manitowoc Cranes produces four brands of cranes and has two service brands, Manitowoc Crane Care and Manitowoc Finance.- History :...
GMK 3050 wheeled all-terrain crane Volkswagen Iltis
Volkswagen Iltis
The Volkswagen Type 183, more commonly known as the Iltis , is a military vehicle built by Volkswagen for use by the German military and under licence by Bombardier for the Canadian Forces and Belgian Army...
Air Component
The Belgian Air Component is the Air forceAir force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
of Belgium. It currently has 8,600 personnel. Its current aircraft are:
Fighter Aircraft:
F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
Trainer Aircraft:
Aermacchi SF.260/
Dassault/Dornier Alpha JetHelicopters:
Aerospatiale Alouette III
Aérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
Agusta A109
Agusta A109
The AgustaWestland AW109 is a light-weight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter built by the Anglo-Italian manufacturer AgustaWestland...
NHI NH90
NHI NH90
The NHIndustries NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries. The first prototype had its maiden flight in December 1995...
Westland Sea King
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
Transport Aircraft:
Airbus A330
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
Airbus A310
Airbus A310
The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
Airbus A400M
Airbus A400M
The Airbus A400M, also known as the Atlas, is a multi-national four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It was designed by Airbus Military as a tactical airlifter with strategic capabilities. The aircraft's maiden flight, originally planned for 2008, took place on 11 December 2009 in...
Dassault Falcon 20
Dassault Falcon 20
The Dassault Falcon 20 is a French business jet and was the first of a family of business jets built by Dassault Aviation.-Design and development:...
Dassault Falcon 900 Embraer ERJ 135 Embraer ERJ 145 C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: RQ-5 Hunter
RQ-5 Hunter
The RQ-5 Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle was originally intended to serve as the United States Army's Short Range UAV system for division and corps commanders. It took off and landed on runways. It used a gimbaled EO/IR sensor to relay its video in real time via a second airborne Hunter over a...
Marine Component
Belgian Navy
The Marine Component of the Belgian Army, formerly the Belgian Naval Force, is the naval service of Belgium.-Early history:The Belgian Navy was created as the Marine Royale in 1831. This force has operated in various forms throughout Belgian history.When after the Belgian Revolution, the country...
is the naval arm of the Belgian military. Belgian naval ranks are unique within the Belgian armed forces, corresponding to naval ranks worldwide.
It currently has 1,600 personnel and 20 vessels. Its current vessels are:
Frigates:
- F930 Leopold I
- F931 Louise-MarieF931 Louise-MarieThe F931 Louise-Marie is a Karel Doorman class frigate of the Naval Component of the Belgian Armed Forces that was commissioned in 2008...
Minesweepers:
- M915 AsterM915 AsterAster is a of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on December 16, 1985 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Queen Paola of Belgium. The patronage of Aster was accepted by the city of Blankenberge...
- M916 BellisM916 BellisBellis is a of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on 14 February 1986 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Ellen Goffinet-Rosman, the wife of the then Mayor of Arlon, on 18 September 1986. The patronage of the Bellis was accepted by the city of Arlon...
- M917 CrocusM917 CrocusCrocus is a minehunter of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on September 3, 1986 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Mrs. Gaethofs-Schreurs, the wife of the then Mayor of Genk, on September 18, 1986. The patronage of the Crocus was accepted by the city of Genk...
- M921 LobeliaM921 LobeliaLobelia is a of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on 3 February 1988 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Anne Van De Kerckhof, the wife of the then Mayor of Diest, on 25 February 1989. The patronage of the Lobelia was accepted by the city of Diest. It was the...
- M923 NarcisM923 NarcisNarcis is a of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on March 30, 1990, at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Mrs. Lafosse-De Backer, the wife of the then Mayor of Mons, on March 14, 1991. The patronage of the Narcis was accepted by the city of Mons. It was the ninth...
- M924 PrimulaM924 PrimulaPrimula is a of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on December 20, 1990 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Mrs. Adriaensens, the wife of the then Mayor of Willebroek, on June 12, 1991. The patronage of the Primula was accepted by the city of Willebroek...
Support Vessels:
- A960 GodetiaA960 GodetiaGodetia is a command and logistical support ship of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on December 7, 1965 at the Boelwerf in Temse, and christened by Mrs. Moyersoen. The patronage of the A960 Godetia was accepted by the city of Ostend. It was the first of two support ships.The Godetia is...
- A950 Valcke
- A962 Belgica
- A963 Stern
- A996 Albatros
- A997 Spin
Patrol Boats:
- P902 Liberation
Auxiliary Vessels:
- A958 Zenobe Gramme
- A995 Spich
- A998 Werl
- A983 Quatuor
- A999 Barbara