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 systems will help create a shared air picture linking sensors, command-and-control systems, and weapons.
The GM200 MM/C will be integrated into a configuration that combines Kongsberg’s Fire Distribution Centre command system with Raytheon’s AMRAAM missiles, extending a setup already used by the Netherlands.
The radar supports air surveillance, air defense, and counter-battery missions. It can be deployed in under 60 seconds and operated remotely within a network.
“Belgium’s decision to integrate the GM200 MM/C radar into Blue Dome marks a significant step forward in European air-defence cooperation,” Thales land and air systems executive vice president Hervé Dammann said.
“This acquisition not only strengthens Belgium’s defence capabilities but also reinforces the European industrial ecosystem, ensuring sovereign and resilient air-defence solutions for the future.”
Belgium’s Blue Dome
Blue Dome is Belgium’s new ground-based air and missile defense architecture, designed to protect its territory, military facilities, government centers, logistics hubs, and critical infrastructure.
Brussels unveiled the program in early November as part of its efforts to strengthen defenses against drones, cruise missiles, helicopters, and aircraft.
The network will also form part of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence System, which links allied sensors, command structures, and weapons into a broader defense network.
Belgium expects the first systems to arrive and gradually enter service from 2027.
The Belgian Air Force has also reactivated its 51st Squadron to help develop the expertise needed to operate the new ground-based air defense systems.