COBBS BELUX, Anduril Industries, and Nokia Belgium have announced the formation of a joint consortium to develop and deploy advanced counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) capabilities in Belgium. The initiative aims to protect military sites and critical infrastructure nationwide while strengthening Belgian and European defense capabilities.
The consortium combines deep operational expertise, autonomous defense technology, and advanced secure communications infrastructure to provide a sovereign, enduring C-UAS capability, designed, developed, and operated locally in Belgium, and built to evolve alongside emerging threats. This approach supports long‑term technological resilience, drives continued innovation, and reinforces the national defense industrial ecosystem.
Changing character of conflict
Military bases, once defended primarily against aircraft and missiles, are increasingly exposed to small, low-cost, autonomous aerial systems equipped with sensor or effector technology capable of real-time surveillance or massive disruption. These systems evolve rapidly, with adversaries adapting flight profiles, frequencies, swarm behaviors, and tactics faster than traditional procurement cycles can respond. A robust C-UAS cannot be a one-time solution; it requires a fundamentally new approach to how defense capabilities are designed, deployed, and updated.
"For COBBS, this is about much more than technology alone," said Michaël Rummens, CEO of COBBS BELUX. "It is about ensuring Belgium has sovereign means to protect its own territory. By combining our operational expertise with globally recognized partners and our local industry, we are building a flexible defense ecosystem that prioritizes the safety of our troops and critical infrastructure."
”Anduril has been deploying and refining our software-defined counter-drone systems in real operational environments since 2019. This consortium puts that experience to work for Belgium, building a capability that is locally owned, continuously updated, and designed to outpace the threat,” said Brian Moran, Vice President Europe at Anduril Industries.
“Nokia is contributing with advanced, secure connectivity and deep operational expertise to help strengthen Belgium’s ability to counter unmanned threats,” said Nathan Stenson, Head of Go-to-Market, Nokia Defense. “By co-innovating with our partners, we can accelerate the development of new capabilities that meet the speed and complexity of today’s threat challenges. Our goal is to ensure defense forces have resilient, mission-ready communications that support both national and European security.”
Software-first architecture for a dynamic threat
The consortium’s solution is software-first, designed to respond quickly to emerging drone threats. At its core is a command-and-control (C2) intelligence layer that supports a sophisticated, real-time sensor-data-fusion from multiple sources like radar, optical, RF and acoustic sensors into a unified situational picture with autonomous classification. The C2 component enables one operator to control multiple counter UAS systems, while maintaining human control over critical decisions.
Leveraging Belgium’s defense communications networks supported by Nokia, the system integrates sensors, effectors, and communications components into a coherent layered defense that aligns with NATO’s counter-drone requirements. The modular, scalable architecture allows new capabilities to be added, including through Nokia’s extensive dual-use R&D facilities in Belgium and Europe, and ensures readiness for evolving threat environments.
