General

The Belgian armed forces is organised into one unified structure which consists of four main components:

Land Component, or the Army;
Air Component, or the Air Force;
Naval Component, or the Navy;
Medical Component.

Belgium's active armed forces in 2002 numbered 39,260, including 3,230 women and a 1,860-member medical service. Army personnel numbered 26,400, equipped with 132 main battle tanks. Army reserves included 100,500 individuals. The air force, with 8,600 personnel, operated 90 combat aircraft. The navy numbered 2,400. In 2001-02 Belgium spent $3.1 billion on defence, or 1.4% of GDP.

The operational commands of the components (COMOPSLAND, COMOPSAIR and COMOPSNAV) are subordinate to the Staff Department for Operations and Training of the Ministry of Defence, which is headed by the Assistant Chief of Staff Operations and Training (ACOS Ops & Trg), and to the Chief of Defence (CHOD).

Overview

Military branches:
Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations Command, Air Operations Commands (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; women comprise approx. 7% of the Belgian armed forces (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,436,736
females age 16-49: 2,369,463 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,998,003
females age 16-49: 1,940,918 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 64,263
females age 16-49: 61,402 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (2005 est.)