page_title: Belgian Armed Forces
section_title: Land Component
hierarchical_section_title: Belgian Armed Forces / Land Component
caption_attribution_description: Nederlands: Grenadiers, herdenking monument Brussel
context_page_description: The Belgian Defense Forces is the national military of Belgium. The King of the Belgians is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The Belgian Armed Forces was established after Belgium became independent in October 1830. Since that time Belgian armed forces have fought in World War I, World War II, the Cold War, Kosovo, Somalia and Afghanistan. The Paracommando Brigade intervened several times in Central-Africa, for maintaining public order and evacuation of Belgian citizens. The Armed Forces comprise four branches: the Land Component, the Air Component, the Marine Component and the Medical Component.
context_section_description: The Belgian Land Component is the ground arm of the Belgian Armed Forces. The Land Component Commander is Major-General Pierre Gérard.(since October 18, 2019). The Land Component consists of one staff (COMOPSLAND), one motorized brigade, one special operations regiment supported by an artillery battalion, two engineer battalions and a reconnaissance (ISTAR) battalion. It is also supported by three logistical units, three telecommunication units, four training camps and a center for the training of ground troops. The land component has some 10,000 troops (as of 2019) and trained for foreign operations in a multinational environment.
caption: Belgian grenadiers at a memorial service
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