Belgium plans to acquire 14 Thales Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission Compact (GM200 MM/C) radars for its Blue Dome air defense network, adding mobile sensors to detect and track drones, missiles, and other aerial threats. Thales said the radars will contribute to a shared air picture connecting sensors, command-and-control systems, and weapons. The GM200 MM/C systems will be integrated into an architecture combining Kongsberg’s Fire Distribution Centre command system with Raytheon’s AMRAAM missiles, extending a configuration already in service with the Netherlands. The radar is designed to support air surveillance, air defense, and counter-battery missions. It can be deployed in less than 60 seconds and operated remotely as part of a network. Blue Dome is Belgium’s new ground-based air and missile defense architecture, intended to protect national territory, military facilities, government centres, logistics hubs, and critical infrastructure. Brussels unveiled the programme in early November as part of efforts to strengthen defenses against drones, cruise missiles, helicopters, and aircraft. The network will also contribute to NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence System, which connects allied sensors, command structures, and weapons within a broader defensive architecture. Belgium expects the first radar systems to arrive and gradually enter service from 2027. The Belgian Air Force has also reactivated its 51st Squadron to develop the expertise required to operate the new ground-based air defense systems.
