Belgium receives 2 new MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones from the US ahead of first overseas mission.

On February 2, 2026, the Belgian Air Force took delivery of two additional MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones and a second ground control station, which arrived aboard an Antonov An-124-100M before being transferred to Florennes Air Base.

On February 2, 2026, the Belgian Air Force received its second and third MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones and a second ground control station, which arrived aboard an Antonov An-124-100M and were transferred to Florennes Air Base, the permanent operating location for the MQ-9B fleet. The delivery increases the number of available drones ahead of their first international deployment scheduled for May 2026.
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The Belgian government plans to expand the MQ-9B SkyGuardian fleet to 6 drones by 2028, in a gradual ramp-up to align deliveries with the availability of infrastructure, ground control stations, and qualified personnel. (Picture source: Belgium Air Force)

The MQ-9B SkyGuardians arrived in Belgium aboard an Antonov An-124-100M cargo aircraft, which landed at Beauvechain, before being transferred to Florennes Air Base, which has been designated as the permanent operating location for the MQ-9B fleet. This delivery follows the first MQ-9B received at the end of September 2025, which formally entered service on September 23, 2025. With three SkyGuardians now available, the Belgian Air Force continues to progress from initial introduction toward sustained operational use supported by infrastructure, trained personnel, and expanded control capacity. Two of these first three aircraft are scheduled to support Belgium’s first international deployment starting in May 2026 over the Mediterranean. 

The February 2026 delivery consisted specifically of the second and third MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones ordered by Belgium in August 2020, along with a second ground control station that plays a central role in command, training, and operational continuity. Transport was carried out by an Antonov An-124-100M, one of the largest cargo aircraft in service, and the fourth drone is expected by the end of 2026. After arrival at Beauvechain, both aircraft and the control station were moved to Florennes, where new infrastructure dedicated to remotely piloted aircraft operations had been inaugurated in September 2025. The addition of a second control station increases Belgium’s ability to conduct parallel activities, including training, mission planning, and live operations.

Operations are conducted remotely from ground control stations, making control infrastructure and trained crews as critical as the air vehicles themselves. Now, by early February 2026, Belgium fields three complete MQ-9B systems within its Air Component. The MQ-9B SkyGuardian is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) with a length of 11 meters, a wingspan of approximately 24 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of 5,670 kg. It is powered by a Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop engine rated at about 900 horsepower, enabling persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions by collecting and transmitting real-time information at altitudes of up to 12,000 meters, while sustaining flight for up to 40 hours.

Mission radius exceeds 5,800 km over land and maritime areas, thanks to satellite-based beyond-line-of-sight communications. Payload capacity is distributed across multiple hardpoints and internal bays to carry electro-optical and infrared sensors, synthetic aperture radar such as Lynx-class systems, maritime surveillance sensors, and communications relay equipment. Operations are conducted from ground control stations using secure data links, allowing continuous control, sensor tasking, and real-time data dissemination within national and NATO command networks. Belgium has ordered a total of six MQ-9B SkyGuardian aircraft for a total of roughly €1.104 billion when including training and weapons, with the first MQ-9B received at the end of September 2025 and put in service on September 23, 2025.

The government plans to expand the fleet to a total of 6 drones by 2028 in a gradual ramp-up to align deliveries with the availability of infrastructure, ground control stations, and qualified personnel. A major upcoming milestone for the program is Belgium’s first international deployment of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian, scheduled to begin in May 2026. Two of the first three aircraft based at Florennes are planned to take part in this initial overseas mission. Operations are set to take place south of Europe, with flights conducted over the Mediterranean region. This deployment will represent the first operational use of the MQ-9B outside Belgium following domestic training and entry into service activities, marking a real transition from national familiarization to active participation in international tasks.

The February 2026 delivery of additional aircraft and a second control station directly supports the readiness required for this mission. Beyond its current ISR role, Belgian authorities already indicated that the MQ-9B SkyGuardian might be armed at a later stage, adding a strike option to the drone once legal, political, and technical conditions are met. Three potential weapons are explicitly candidates for this future configuration, namely the AGM-114 Hellfire and the Brimstone, two missiles already in use by allied air forces for precision engagement against ground and maritime targets. Additionally, the Belgian MQ-9Bs might also be armed with GBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (LJDAM) precision-guided bombs.

For the present phase, the emphasis remains on surveillance, reconnaissance, and information support functions. Any future armed configuration is expected to remain compatible with NATO interoperability requirements and established command frameworks. The program is therefore structured to allow incremental growth rather than an immediate shift in operational reality. Operational preparation has continued alongside aircraft deliveries, with Belgian MQ-9B crews having carried out their first night flights from Florennes in early November 2025. These flights allowed crews to train on sensors and procedures in night conditions, and night operations are now planned on a regular basis, similar to established fighter training routines, at a time when several military bases and civilian airports had recently experienced overflights by unidentified drones, with investigations ongoing.

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.