BRUSSELS — Belgium is preparing to make a major investment in its air defense capabilities, with plans to acquire 10 NASAMS surface-to-air missile launchers from Kongsberg and 20 Skyranger short-range air defense systems from Rheinmetall, according to a Belgian official who spoke with Reuters on Thursday.
The combined price tag for both purchases comes to 3.1 billion euros, though the official did not provide a breakdown of how the costs are divided between the two systems.
Before the deal can move forward, it must receive approval from Belgium’s council of ministers, which is expected to take place this week. If approved, an official announcement could be made at an upcoming NATO summit in Ankara next week.
To speed up the procurement process, Belgium intends to use existing Dutch framework contracts for both purchases, the official noted.
