BRUSSELS — Belgian defense officials announced Thursday they will install a sophisticated air defense system at the Port of Antwerp following a string of unauthorized drone incidents that have raised serious security concerns.
Throughout the previous year, Belgium experienced numerous unauthorized drone flights that resulted in temporary closures of several airports and a military installation.
The port of Antwerp also witnessed several drone sightings hovering over sensitive locations, including nuclear facilities, the BASF chemical plant, and the Europa container terminal, sparking concerns about the security of vital industrial and energy infrastructure.
While a Defense Ministry representative confirmed the deployment plans initially reported by Belgian news outlets, they refused to share specific operational details for security purposes, noting that the system would be procured in the near future.
“An air-defence system is coming to the port of Antwerp. It’s a NASAMS type,” Antwerp mayor Bart De Wever announced during a Wednesday event at the port of Antwerp-Bruges, as reported by the Gazet van Antwerpen newspaper.
A port representative emphasized the facility’s critical role in the nation’s economy, stating: “Given the importance of our port as an economic engine of Belgium, it is essential that the port is protected and secured, both digitally and physically.”
The NASAMS defense platform is engineered to neutralize threats from unmanned aircraft, military jets, and other close-range airborne dangers.
