Belgium plans €1 billion investment in military data centers

Thursday 14 August 2025 - 17:00

Belgium is preparing to invest €1 billion in the construction of military data centers as part of its national defense strategy, according to local media reports published on Thursday.

The plan, included in the 2026–2029 Military Programming Law, envisions the deployment of secure data hubs at multiple strategic locations across the country to ensure uninterrupted operational continuity.

According to the draft, these facilities will play a critical role in modern military operations by processing real-time data from drones, satellites, and combat units. The centers are also expected to support the secure storage and analysis of sensitive information from other public services, expanding their scope beyond defense.

Sources within Belgium's Ministry of Defense, cited by the newspaper L’Echo, confirmed that the initiative aligns with the country’s broader goal of enhancing digital sovereignty, aiming to reduce dependence on foreign and commercial cloud providers.

Belgium’s Chief of Defense, Frederik Vansina, previously urged the federal government in May to recognize the current geopolitical context as a crisis, enabling faster decision-making to secure national digital infrastructure. In an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws, he warned:

“We’re no longer clearly at war or at peace. We are in a hybrid state where the threat is increasing.”

This significant investment reflects Belgium’s growing emphasis on cybersecurity and digital resilience in a rapidly evolving security landscape across Europe.