Belgium purchases cruise missiles for F-35 jets and drones in €700 million deal

Belgium has purchased cruise missiles for its Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets and unmanned aerial vehicles in a deal worth nearly €700 million, Belgian media reported.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the procurement includes AGM-184 Joint Strike Missiles (JSM), developed by Norwegian defence company Kongsberg in cooperation with US-based Raytheon.

The air-launched missiles are designed to strike both land and maritime targets at ranges of up to 350 kilometres.

The F-35 aircraft can carry two JSM missiles internally without compromising their stealth characteristics, which significantly reduce radar detection. Due to the strategic importance of the weapons system, Belgium’s Ministry of Defence has not disclosed either the number of missiles ordered or the unit price.

US media reports cited by the Belgian outlet estimate the cost of a single JSM missile at approximately $3.2 million, or around €2.75 million.

The missiles are also expected to be integrated in the future with MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones.

In addition, the Belgian military has ordered 16 Brimstone missiles and 120 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles for the drones, valued at €10 million and €30 million respectively.

By Vugar Khalilov