FN Herstal, HENSOLDT Eye Belgian Counter-Drone Contract With Joint Bid

FN Herstal and HENSOLDT have teamed up to jointly bid on a Belgian tender for a long-term counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) program aimed at strengthening the protection of air bases.

The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on an upcoming tender to develop a “long-term, innovative” C-UAS solution designed to enhance the protection of Belgian military air bases against increasingly sophisticated drone threats.

This collaboration aims to deliver a fully integrated and next-generation defense platform by combining FN Herstal’s proven weapon systems with HENSOLDT’s expertise in sensors, detection systems, and tracking software.

“Together, we are committed to meeting the Belgian Defence’s strategic requirements,” FN Herstal said in a statement.

The agreement was signed during DSEI UK 2025, one of the world’s leading defense and security exhibitions, which provided a platform to showcase how European defense players are responding to evolving aerial threats.

Belgium’s Role in Defense

The move is aligned with Belgium’s ongoing commitment to modernizing its armed forces and investing in technological innovation to safeguard critical infrastructure as it continues to be a key player in international defense. 

It was one of the 12 founding countries of NATO, whose headquarters is located in Brussels. 

Defense Minister Theo Francken wrote in a 2025 vision report that a “thorough transformation” is necessary for the Belgian military to better address modern warfare.

In March 2025, the Belgian government said it is increasing its spending for defense by up to four billion euros ($4.2 billion), just before NATO’s collective pledge to raise defense budgets to 5 percent of GDP by 2035.

Earlier this week, the United States approved a $567.8 million sale of RTX’s AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles to Belgium.