Belgium is set to install a NASAMS air-defence system at the port of Antwerp to protect critical infrastructure from drone incursions, the Defence Ministry has confirmed.
The decision follows a series of drone sightings last year that temporarily disrupted Belgian airports and a military airbase. Reports also noted drones over Antwerp’s nuclear plants, chemical facilities, and container terminals, highlighting the vulnerability of these key industrial sites.
Antwerp Mayor Bart De Wever says the deployment underscores the port’s strategic economic importance. The system is designed to counter drones, fighter aircraft, and other short-range aerial threats. Operational details were withheld for security reasons…
Antwerp, East Flanders, Belgium. 29 May 2025. Image of Port of Antwerp harbor and Scheldt river at night. Port of Antwerp-Bruges. // Shutterstock