The question is no longer whether we should act, but who will take the initiative and how quickly
For Agoria, drone defense is a matter of national security, European sovereignty… and a major economic and technological opportunity. The players are there. Clarisse Ramakers, Managing Director of Agoria Wallonia, intends to bring them together, integrate them, and deploy them.
The security landscape has changed profoundly. The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East serve as a stark reminder: security is no longer a given. For Belgium—home to NATO and European institutions, a logistics hub, and a site of critical infrastructure—this reality is particularly acute. In this context, drones represent a major technological breakthrough.
Accessible, inexpensive, and increasingly sophisticated thanks to AI and 5G, they can disrupt an airport, spy on a strategic site, or carry out highly effective asymmetric operations. “The only credible response will be systemic, integrated, and coordinated,” says Clarisse Ramakers. “And the time to act is now! What we fail to put in place today will have to be purchased elsewhere tomorrow, in a rush, at a high price, and with increased strategic dependence.”
Real strengths, but fragmented
Belgium is not starting from scratch. Dozens of companies, mostly innovative SMEs, are developing cutting-edge technological components: radar sensors, detection and identification systems, neutralization solutions, C2 platforms, and decision-support software. The triple helix model—industry, research, and government—is working and already yielding results.
But the assessment is clear-eyed. Our ecosystem is fragmented, Clarisse Ramakers notes.
“We excel in components and subsystems, but do not yet provide complete, integrated C-UAS (Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems) systems capable of operating as a true multi-layered system. This is precisely what the Defense Department, civil authorities, and our NATO partners at are looking for. This fragmentation is not a technological weakness; it is an organizational weakness. So there is an opportunity.”
The challenge? Moving from building blocks to systems
The central challenge is to move from isolated solutions to integrated and interoperable systems. This requires three breakthroughs:
- integration (via robust Command & Control capable of fusing data and operating at the speed of the threat);
- interoperability (between civilian and military actors, at the national, NATO, and EU levels);
- doctrine and practice (rules of engagement, risk management, interagency coordination, and, ultimately, political accountability).
This is where Wallonia can play a key role: through its expertise in complex systems, its tradition of industrial integration, and its ability to organize consortia. “Wallonia can become a hub for C-UAS integration—not merely a technology supplier, but an architect of sovereign solutions.”
Five recommendations for action
- Take a two-step approach: rapidly deploy existing capabilities to protect critical sites, while developing integrated systems over 3 to 4 years through structured Belgian consortia.
- Organize these consortia around a common C2 (Command & Control) architecture and a shared technology roadmap—not by merging companies, but by aligning their complementary strengths.
- Invest in shared testing and evaluation infrastructure, similar to what is being done at Droneport (St. Truiden).
- Adapt public procurement to allow for greater flexibility in procurement and collaborative R&D.
- Embrace a national strategic ambition: a coherent C-UAS roadmap must take precedence over fragmented regional initiatives.
Bring together, integrate, deploy
“Developing a Belgian drone defense sector is not an industrial luxury,” continues Clarisse Ramakers. “It is a matter of national security, European sovereignty, and a major economic and technological opportunity. The players are here. It is time to bring them together, integrate them, and deploy them.”
The question is no longer whether we should act, but who will take the initiative… and how quickly.
