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BELGIUM ANNOUNCES PLANS TO DEPLOY NASAMS AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS AT THE PORT OF ANTWERP, AND IRANIAN STRIKES TARGET CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

  • 2 days ago
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February 26 - March 4, 2026 | Issue 9 - Emergency Management, Health, and Hazards (EMH2) Team

Chiara Michieli, Nimaya Premachandra, Khushi Salian, Indira Hankins, Agathe Labadi etc.

Jacqueline Heier, Editor; Clemence Van Damme, Senior Editor

 

NASAMS Launcher[1]


Date: February 25, 2026

Location: Antwerp, Flanders Region, Belgium

Parties involved: Belgium; Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever; army; military personnel; civilian law enforcement; Brussels Zaventem airport; airports; major economic hubs; key critical infrastructure sites; Control and Reporting Centre (CRC); National Airspace Security Centre (NASC); Antwerp port authority; civilian commercial infrastructure; Netherlands; Rotterdam Port; Joint Ground-based Air Defence Command (DGLC); Benelux countries; Russia

The event: De Wever announced plans to equip the Port of Antwerp with National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS).[2] 

Analysis & Implications:

  • Belgium’s plan to deploy NASAMS air defense systems at the Port of Antwerp will likely signal the introduction of joint military and civilian law enforcement oversight of aerial protection at major economic hubs, such as airports vulnerable to Russian drone threats. Belgium will likely expand the reach of the air defense system to Brussels Zaventem Airport, likely tying key critical infrastructure sites to military command networks for drone detection, interception, and air surveillance. The integration of military command networks in airports will likely introduce ambiguity over authority due to overlapping responsibilities between civilian aviation regulators and military personnel, likely causing compliance challenges under civil aviation law. In the short run, such compliance issues will likely slow down coordinated responses in selecting and implementing appropriate counter-drone measures, likely increasing operational disruptions at airports, such as continued flight delays and frequent airport shutdowns despite heightened security measures.

  • The inclusion of air defense measures at Antwerp port will very likely lead to increased integration of the air defense architecture across the Benelux countries, strengthening their collective surveillance and reaction capabilities against aerial threats. Belgium will very likely adopt best practices from the Netherlands’ integration of air defense systems at the Rotterdam port, likely enabling a faster and more efficient NASAMS deployment through close bilateral cooperation. Belgium and the Netherlands will likely leverage their interoperable military structures and insights from the BENELUX Air Policing agreement to jointly monitor suspicious air activity over port terminals, very likely increasing information exchange between the CRC and the DGLC. In the long run, there is a roughly even chance that this cooperation will result in the regional adoption of the NASC interforce approach as the main operational standard to secure critical civilian commercial infrastructure in Benelux.


Date: February 28, 2026

Location: Dubai, Dubai Emirate, United Arab Emirates

Parties involved: United Arab Emirates (UAE); UAE government; UAE authorities; Dubai International Airport; critical infrastructure sites; tourists;  social media platforms; social media users; public; non-residents of the UAE; foreign internationals in the UAE; Iran; Iranian-backed hackers; Iranian government cyberwarfare group Charming Kitten; US; China; India; neutral actors

The event: Iranian strikes targeted several critical infrastructure sites, including Dubai International Airport.[3]

Analysis & Implications:

  • The strikes will likely drive a surge in reliance on official communication channels from foreign internationals, creating opportunities for cyberattacks and online exploitation targeting these information systems. The instability in the city will almost certainly drive tourists and non-residents of the UAE to seek frequent updates from government websites, SMS alerts, and social media, leading to increased news circulation and unverified user-generated content online. This influx of user traffic will likely create opportunities for Iranian-backed hackers like Charming Kitten to launch tailored phishing and impersonation campaigns on digital platforms, likely leveraging anonymity to spoof government accounts to spread malware and exploit user credentials. The exploitation of anonymity will very likely erode public trust in official government communications, likely forcing UAE authorities into a reactive posture as they work to distinguish legitimate channels from compromised ones in real time.

  • The UAE government will very likely bolster new military alliances in response to Iranian attacks on its critical infrastructures, likely aiming to ensure its economic resilience in times of crisis. The UAE will likely exploit the increasing joint military development and economic cooperation with self-proclaimed neutral actors, such as China and India, very likely aiming to distance itself from the US Middle East strategy, reducing potential direct confrontations with Iran. There will be a roughly even chance this strategy will reduce the UAE’s dependency on US security support, likely by strengthening shared intelligence and warfare/technology development with these alternative partners. These expanded security partnerships will likely improve the UAE’s capacity to protect critical infrastructure and trade routes, thereby supporting its broader objective of maintaining economic resilience and preserving its position as a safe investment destination.

[1] CONR’s live-fire test bolsters homeland defense capabilities, by Michael Dougherty, licensed under Public Domain (The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)/Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD/DoW endorsement.)

[2] Port of Antwerp to get anti-aircraft guns from next year, NOS, February 2026,

[3] Iranian strikes damage Dubai international airport and Burj Al Arab luxury hotel, ABC News, March 2026, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-01/iranian-strikes-damage-dubai-airport-and-luxury-hotel/106402154

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