Belgium will invest €3.7 billion in defence innovation over the next decade through a new programme aimed at accelerating military technology development and strengthening

the national defence industry, Defence Minister Theo Francken has announced.

The initiative, known as ODIN, will run from 2026 to 2035 and forms part of Belgium’s broader Defence, Industry and Research Strategy (DIRS). The long-term framework, developed since 2022 by the Royal Higher Institute for Defence and the Federal Public Service Economy, is designed to boost cooperation between the military, industry and research sectors.

Under the strategy, Belgium plans to allocate €350 million annually to research, innovation and industrial production linked to defence capabilities.

Francken said the programme is intended to deliver tangible results rather than remain a strategic concept. “This is not about plans on paper. It is about investing €3.7 billion in a focused way over the coming years,” he said.

ODIN will bring together the Defence Ministry, economic authorities, regional governments, private companies, research centres and universities to identify critical technologies where Belgium can develop a competitive advantage. The programme will then support projects tailored to the operational needs of the Belgian armed forces.

The government expects the investment to accelerate the modernisation of Belgium’s military capabilities while reinforcing the country’s role in Europe’s expanding defence sector, where demand for advanced technologies and industrial capacity continues to grow. Photo by Grafenwoehr, Wikimedia commons.