Belgium to deploy first MQ-9B SkyGuardian drone over the Mediterranean in 2026.

Belgium plans its first operational deployment of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian drone in 2026, to conduct intelligence and surveillance flights over the Mediterranean Sea.

As reported by the VRT on December 12, 2025, Belgium is preparing the first operational deployment of its new MQ-9B SkyGuardian drone over the Mediterranean Sea in 2026 for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions under its national 2026 Operations Plan. The mission, focused on monitoring illegal maritime activities, including irregular migration routes and arms smuggling, will also support the coordination with partner authorities.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Belgium is also preparing the legal and technical framework for a potential armed configuration under parliamentary control, with Brimstone and Hellfire missiles identified as two candidate weapons. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Belgium is preparing the first operational deployment of its new MQ-9B SkyGuardian drone over the Mediterranean Sea in 2026, and this mission, embedded in Belgium’s 2026 Operations Plan, is defined as an intelligence-collection task focused on monitoring illegal activities along Europe’s southern maritime approaches. Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken links the mission to concerns over irregular migration routes and arms smuggling networks that operate across the Mediterranean basin. The deployment is framed as part of a broader effort to improve situational awareness and support coordinated responses by national and partner authorities. It is explicitly not described as a combat operation, but as a surveillance and information-gathering activity. This deployment represents the first operational use of the MQ-9B by Belgium since the aircraft’s arrival and entry into national service.

Belgium has ordered four MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft, with options for additional systems, and parallel planning references a total of six aircraft to be delivered by 2028 and based at Florennes Air Base. The overall program has been described with a value of about €500 million, covering aircraft, ground control stations, satellite communications, mobile support units, simulators, and long-term support. The MQ-9B features a wingspan of nearly 24 meters, a maximum takeoff weight of 5,670 kg, and a Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop engine producing 900 horsepower, enabling endurance exceeding 40 hours and operations up to 40,000 feet. Its mission equipment includes radar and electro-optical sensors such as Lynx II SAR and AN-DAS-1 MTS-B, with options for maritime surveillance, AIS integration, SIGINT, electronic warfare, communications relay, and anti-submarine warfare kits.

The Mediterranean mission is connected to a wider southern-oriented security approach that also emphasizes engagement with partner countries in Africa. Belgium’s 2026 posture highlights the Sahel and the Great Lakes region as areas where instability can directly affect European and Belgian security interests. Particular attention is placed on the Democratic Republic of Congo and Benin, reflecting historical ties and current strategic priorities. Belgian leadership argues that developments beyond the European Union can translate into domestic consequences through migration flows, organized crime, and extremist networks. In this context, the MQ-9B is intended to contribute to a clearer understanding of movement patterns at sea and to help identify logistical chains linked to smuggling activities. The same southern focus is also presented as complementary to continued Belgian support for Ukraine, including training and expertise in areas such as minehunting and explosives.

Alongside the Mediterranean deployment, NATO’s eastern flank remains Belgium’s primary international military priority for 2026. The plan foresees an expanded air contribution through two NATO Air Policing missions using F-16 fighter jets, compared to a single mission in most previous years. Each mission is planned to involve a detachment of four F-16 aircraft and around 100 personnel. One detachment is scheduled to operate from Iceland, while the second is expected to deploy to either Lithuania or Poland, depending on final arrangements. On land, Belgium maintains a sustained presence in Romania within a French-led combat group, contributing infantry and engineering elements. Belgium also plans to support the German-led battle group in Lithuania with reconnaissance assets and mortars, while keeping a fully motorized infantry battalion of about 1,500 personnel on standby for rapid deployment within 30 days.

Maritime operations form another pillar of the 2026 plan, with tasks spanning northern European waters and more distant sea lines of communication. Belgium plans to deploy a minehunter for nearly six months in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, where the protection of vulnerable subsea infrastructure is a stated objective. Data cables and energy pipelines are cited as critical assets requiring sustained monitoring and security. In parallel, a Belgian frigate with a crew of around 180 personnel is scheduled to deploy for approximately two months under the European operation Aspides. This mission focuses on safeguarding commercial shipping routes in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and parts of the Indian Ocean against attacks. Together, these naval deployments extend Belgium’s maritime security posture from nearby waters to key international transit corridors.

Domestically, the 2026 plan places strong emphasis on internal security tasks that involve direct military support within Belgium. From 2026 onward, the armed forces are set to assume full responsibility for guarding all class 1 nuclear sites under Operation Vigilant Protector, including Doel, Tihange, and Mol. This shift is intended to relieve the Federal Police of a substantial and continuous guarding burden. The plan also maintains the possibility of continued military involvement in urban security missions, subject to political approval, including patrols in Brussels train stations and protection of Jewish institutions in Antwerp and Brussels. In the cyber domain, Belgium plans to reinforce its Cyber Force with additional personnel to analyze and counter cyberattacks and disinformation activities in cooperation with military intelligence. These domestic tasks are framed as integral to national resilience against hybrid threats.

The MQ-9B deployment is part of a broader Belgian focus on unmanned systems and counter-drone capabilities across all domains. A dedicated leadership role for drones and innovation has been established to coordinate this effort, reflecting concerns raised by previous incidents involving unauthorized drones over sensitive sites such as airports, nuclear facilities, and military areas. Belgian authorities describe an ambition to integrate drones not only in the air component, but also as ground systems for land forces and unmanned platforms for naval use. Counter-drone capabilities are also being expanded, with around €50 million allocated to acquire and accelerate the fielding of relevant systems. This broader drone policy is presented as a response to rapidly evolving threats and as a complement to traditional force structures, rather than a replacement.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.