2026-07-23

Belgian MQ-9B Drones to be armed with European Brimstone Missiles in coming months

From the Farnborough International Airshow, the Minister of Defence has announced that within a few months, Belgian MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones will be equipped with the Brimstone missile from the European manufacturer MBDA.
This choice aligns closely with developments among our British NATO allies. Because the British Royal Air Force did the preparatory groundwork for integrating this weapon onto their own Protector drones, Belgium can benefit from tests and qualifications that have already been completed.
The arrival of the Brimstone missile brings several major advantages. Thanks to its extreme precision and the combination of millimeter-wave radar and laser guidance, the weapon can flawlessly hit targets—even while they are in moving conditions—with a minimal risk of collateral damage, which is crucial in modern, complex conflict environments. In addition, Defence is resolutely choosing European ammunition produced entirely within Europe (such as at the British and recently also the German MBDA production center in Schrobenhausen), even though the drone platform itself is American, built by General Atomics. This strengthens the European defence industry and cooperation with nations deploying the same technology.
As a result, the aircraft at Florennes Air Base are undergoing a major transformation. Originally procured as unarmed reconnaissance drones (ISR), this armament turns them into fully fledged, flexible systems that can take immediate action following observation if the situation and rules of engagement require it.

Information and image: MOD Theo Francken & MBDA
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Source: Aviation Day