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Originally Posted by MarkSheppard
Belgium apparently retired their MISTRAL MANPADS on on 31 December 2017.
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Wonderful, what did they replace them with or did they decide they didn't need MANPADS any longer ?
The Mistral is all they have ATM
Well this didn't take long
https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/ht.../20170607.aspx
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Belgian has decided to phase out short range anti-aircraft missiles systems and instead depend on their F-16s and anti-aircraft missile protection provided by the integrated NATO air defense system. Since Belgium is small and surrounded by NATO allies this seems are reasonable decision. This is especially the case as it would be expensive to replace the current Mistral SAM (Surface to Air Missile) system that entered service in the early 1990s. Mistral still works, but it is old. During the last Mistral live-fire training which took place in Estonia during early May 7 out 8 missiles hit their targets. Some of these missiles were from the first 858 missiles ordered back in 1993. While the firing exercise in Estonia went well Belgian revealed that only about 86% of 643 Mistral missiles fired so far had hit their targets.
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