Belgian Military Begins Two-Week Exercises in Waasland

The Belgian military has launched two weeks of amphibious exercises in the Waasland region of East Flanders, with soldiers training in the Scheldt river and on land across four municipalities. The exercises, which began August 10, will see military vehicles and personnel regularly visible in Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht, Dendermonde, Temse, and Hamme, according to VRT NWS.

Residents are being advised not to be alarmed by the increased military activity, which is part of regular training operations for the Belgian armed forces.

Amphibious Training on the Scheldt

The exercises involve amphibious operations, meaning soldiers will operate both on land and in the water. Troops will move with backpacks and weapons, and will use exercise ammunition at certain times during the two-week period.

Most of the training will take place in the shipping channel of the Scheldt, using inflatable rubber boats known as Zodiacs. In addition to the water-based operations, military pilots will practice low-altitude flying to train evading ground-based threats.

According to the Belgian Ministry of Defense, low-altitude flying is necessary to train pilots to evade ground threats and remain deployable during foreign operations. Every soldier who may deploy to a foreign operation zone must participate in exercises for two to six months per year.

Local Authorities Informed in Advance

The exercises follow a formal approval process that involves local municipalities. Mayor Lotte Peeters (N-VA) of Hamme explained that the army must submit a request each time, which the college of mayor and aldermen must approve.

“We are glad that a request is needed each time, which the college of mayor and aldermen must then approve,” Peeters told VRT NWS. “This way we can warn residents and tell them they don’t need to worry if they notice something.”

Peeters noted that the frequency of such requests has increased significantly. “Nowadays we receive such a request about 3 to 4 times per year,” she said. “Often it also involves map exercises.”

Part of Broader Defense Expansion

The exercises come against the backdrop of a significant expansion of Belgian military presence in the region. In March 2026, the federal government approved the ‘Kwartierplan’ of Defense, which involves substantial investment in military bases across the country, as VRT NWS reported.

In East Flanders specifically, the plan includes two major developments. Ursel will be developed as the home base for training and maintenance of an air defense unit, while Fort Sint-Marie in Zwijndrecht will be reactivated for marine fusiliers responsible for maritime security, particularly the protection of the Port of Antwerp. The fort has direct access to the Scheldt.

The reactivation of Fort Sint-Marie is part of a broader effort to strengthen Belgium’s maritime defense capabilities. According to VRT NWS, the marine fusiliers stationed there will focus on protecting critical maritime infrastructure, with the fort potentially housing several hundred military personnel in the future.

Growing Military Presence in Civilian Areas

This is not the first time the Belgian army has conducted exercises in the Waasland region. In June 2021, the army held training exercises for young soldiers in Hamme and Dendermonde. As VRT NWS reported at the time, Tom Leenaerts of Defense explained that while the army usually trains on military training grounds, it occasionally trains in civilian environments, which requires preparing a full dossier and properly informing affected municipalities and police services.

“Only when we receive green light from them may the exercise take place,” Leenaerts said in 2021.

The increasing frequency of exercises in the region reflects a broader trend of Belgian Defense becoming more visible in everyday life. As the Kwartierplan takes shape and new military units are stationed in East Flanders, residents can expect to see more military activity in the coming years.

What to Watch For

Over the next two weeks, residents of the four affected municipalities should expect to see military vehicles, soldiers, and potentially low-flying aircraft. The exercises are scheduled to continue through approximately August 23.

For the longer term, the development of Ursel as an air defense training hub and the reactivation of Fort Sint-Marie for marine fusiliers signal a permanent increase in military presence in the Waasland region. As these facilities become operational, the Belgian military’s footprint in East Flanders will grow substantially, making exercises like the current one an increasingly familiar sight.