BELGIUM

Population Defence budget 2010 GDP 2009 Land area Capital Life expectancy Population growth rate	10.3 million Euros 2.8 billion (US$3.4 billion) Euros 320 billion (US$390 billion) 30,200 sq kms (11,615 sq miles) Brussels (Population 980,000) 79 years 0.3 per cent
ARMY NAVY AIR FORCE
Total Armed Forces
Army (Land Component) Navy (Maritime Component) Air Force (Air Component) Joint Service Component Medical Component Reserves	14,200 1,600 7,000 13,500 1,800 2,000 approx
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Contact Details

Ministry of Defence Rue Lambermonstraat 8 B-1000 Bruxelles Belgium Tel:  +32 2 507 6611 Fax: +32 2 507 6651

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ARMY (LAND COMPONENT) ORGANISATION

Army Strength: approximately 14,200.

Outline Army Structure:

In general terms and available for immediate operations are:

• 7 x Infantry Battalions (including 3 x Para Commando)

• 2 x Tank Battalions

• 1 x Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion

• 1 x Special Forces Group

• 4 x Artillery Battalions (including 1 x Observation and Surveillance)

• 2 x Engineer Battalions

• 5 x Communications Groups

• 7 x Logistic / Combat Support Battalions

• 2 x Anti-Tank Helicopter Battalions

• 1 x Liaison Helicopter Battalion

 

Outline structure of the Belgian Land Forces (Army)

 

Notes:
(1) The HQ of Army Operational Command (Land) and 1 Mechanised Brigade plus 7 Mechanised Brigade form the Belgian contribution to the Eurocorps.
(2) The Rapid Reaction Group is Belgium’s immediately deployable force.
(3) Command Troops include an Intelligence Group (with a Special Forces component), an Engineer Group, an Artillery Group and a Communications Group.
(4) The Army Aviation Group is part of the Air Component but available for joint operations.

 

Belgian Mechanised Brigade Outline Organisation

Note:
The Para Commando Brigade has 3 x Para Commando Battalions. The 3rd Parachute Battalion stationed at Antwerp forms the initial entry battalion of the NATO Response Force (NRF) and is integrated into the Franco-German Brigade.

Reserves

There are two main elements. The Ordinary Reserve and the Volunteer Reserve; the compulsory reserve consists of ex conscripts and former regular personnel. The Volunteer Reserve consists of volunteers, some of whom may not have had prior military service. A Special Reserve Group consists of personnel who have agreed to serve for a specified period during peace should the need arise.

EU Battlegroups

Belgium is a member of two EU Battlegroups. The first is a French-Belgian Battlegroup and the second a Battlegroup that includes contingents from Germany, France, Luxembourg and Spain.
 

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MAJOR ARMY (LAND COMPONENT) EQUIPMENT

 

Main Battle Tanks (MBT)	50 x Leopard 1A5 (Operational - to be phased out by 2011
Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicles  (AIFV)	30 x YPR-765 (some with 25 mm gun)
Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC)	50 x M-113 (Tracked)
	60 x Pandur (Wheeled)
	45 x Piranha IIIC (Wheeled)
	75 x Dingo (Wheeled)
Self Propelled Artillery (SP ARTY)	51 x M-109 variants (Tracked) in store
Towed Artillery	24 x 105 mm Light Gun
Mortars (Mor)	30 x 120 mm (estimate)
	42 x 81 mm (estimate)
	50 x 60 mm (estimate)
Anti-Tank (Atk)	90 x Milan ATGW (estimate in service)
	200 x 66 mm / 112 mm (estimate)
Low Level Air Defence (LLAD)	30 x Mistral SAM (under Air Force Command control)

 

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NAVY (NAVAL COMPONENT) ORGANISATION

Navy Strength: approximately 1,600

Principal Units:

2 x Frigates
6 x Mine Warfare Vessels

Outline BELGIAN Navy Structure

Operational command of Belgian and Netherlands naval (surface) forces is delegated to the Admiral Benelux command at Den Helder. The ABNL has a bi-national structure with a modular approach to operations, training and logistics, this results in the COMOPSNAV only performing tasks not delegated to the ABNL.

 

MAJOR NAVAL (NAVAL COMPONENT) EQUIPMENT

 

Frigates (FF)	2 x Karel Doorman
Mine Hunter Coastal (MHC)	6 x Tripartite (Aster)
Miscellaneous	8 x Support Vessels
Naval Aviation	3 x SA-316B (available from the Air Component)
	5 x Sea King Mk 48 (Search and Rescue)

 

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AIR FORCE (AIR COMPONENT) ORGANISATION

Air Force Strength: 7,000

OUTLINE AIR COMPONENT STRUCTURE

Notes:
(1) The helicopter group has the 3 x A 109 squadrons that were previously part of the Army Aviation Group. For operations these squadrons could be placed under the control of the Army Operational Command. The helicopter group also includes the 4 x search and rescue (SAR) Sea Kings.
(2) Major Airbases are located at Beauvechain, Florennes. Kleine Brogel, Koksijde (Coxyde) and Bierset.
 

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MAJOR AIR FORCE (AIR COMPONENT) EQUIPMENT

 

Fighter Ground Attack (FGA)	Approx 60 x F-16 MLU in operational service with some 28 in store
Electronic Intelligence (ELINT)	2 x DA-20 Falcon
Transport (TPT)	11 x C-130H Hercules
	2 x A-310-200
	1 x Falcon 900
	2 x ERJ-135
	2 x ERJ-145
	2 x Falcon 20
Training (Trg)	26 x Alpha Jet
	23 x SF 260MB
	9 x SF 260 D
Helicopters (Hel)	25 x A-109
	5 x SA-318
	4 x Sea King Mk 48 (SAR)
Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV)	18 x B-Hunter
Air launched missiles (ALM)	AMRAAM AIM-120 AAM
	Sidewinder AIM-9 AAM
	AGM-65 Maverick ASM
Surface to Air Missiles (SAM)	24 x Mistral SAM launchers

 

CURRENT UNIT DEPLOYMENTS
(over platoon strength – 30 personnel. These are approximate figures)