LONDON

Belgium has approved a long-delayed plan to arm the country’s SkyGuardian drones, six years after the aircraft were first ordered.

According to a report by Belga News Agency on Wednesday, the move ends a long-running dispute over drone armament amid rising security fears.

Belgium purchased the SkyGuardian system in 2019, but despite the drones being designed to carry weapons, the previous coalition government under Alexander De Croo opted against weaponization.

Left-leaning parties raised ethical concerns, overriding a recommendation from the military’s general staff, who argued there was no legal or ethical distinction between armed drones and the deployment of F-16 fighter jets.

Since entering service, the drones have been used exclusively for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, even though they are capable of precision strikes designed to minimize collateral damage. Armed drones have been widely used in modern conflicts for decades.

Earlier this year, the incoming ‘Arizona’ coalition government led by Bart De Wever endorsed a resolution by lawmaker Peter Buysrogge calling for the drones to be armed.

“It is crucial that the Ministry of Defense keeps pace with technological developments and does not fall behind. I am therefore pleased that common sense has finally prevailed,” Buysrogge said.

A formal procurement proposal followed on Wednesday.

“Hostile actors, including the Iranian regime, are already using drones to target civilians on European soil. We must defend ourselves and make full use of our technological capabilities,” Buysrogge argued.

He insisted that human control would remain central to any future use.

“These are not autonomous killing machines. They are operated by trained professionals and are primarily intended to support our troops and protect civilians.”

Despite the new approval, the government reiterated in August that the drones would continue to be used solely for intelligence purposes for now.

Civil society organizations have expressed concerns about privacy, warning that because the drones can operate in Belgian airspace for surveillance missions, they could in principle be used to monitor civilians.