Defence
A proven European source for NATO defence components.
What does Mustad Belgium supply to defence programmes?
Mustad Belgium supplies machined components and assembled sub-assemblies for NATO defence programmes — small arms, ammunition up to Ø120 mm and weapons systems, plus accessories for optronics. Over 1,000 different components produced in Eupen, Belgium, for OEMs and prime contractors across Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Manufacturing for European defence sovereignty
By manufacturing weapon and ammunition components in the heart of Europe, Mustad Belgium contributes to the industrial sovereignty of European defence. Its local roots and continued investment preserve essential know-how, strengthen production capacity and support security of supply for defence manufacturers.
Three categories of defence components.
Components for military and sporting firearms
Machined components for the most widely deployed individual and crew-served weapon platforms used by NATO forces — and for the sport shooting market, where platforms such as the AR-15 are machined to the same standard.
Small Arms →AmmunitionComponents up to 120 mm calibre
Ammunition components up to Ø120 mm. Precision parts for small, medium and large calibre ammunition. Critical tolerances, lot-by-lot traceability, compliance with defence programme specifications.
Ammunition →Weapons systemsComponents for systems and platforms
Components for military vehicles, sighting and observation systems, vision and fire control, drones and missile programmes.
Weapons Systems →Six reasons defence manufacturers call on Mustad Belgium.
Mustad makes components and mechanical products that its customers integrate, not complete systems. Within that role, defence manufacturers and integrators call on us for six distinct needs.
Secure your supply
We take on a component family as a second source. You reduce your dependence on a single supplier and gain a production site in Belgium, within the European Union and NATO. Our documented and regularly tested disaster recovery plan covers production as well as IT systems.
Support a ramp-up
We add capacity when volumes rise, during a peak in workload or following a supplier failure, within the requirements and qualifications of each programme. 60 production machines can run round the clock in Eupen.
Develop the part with you
At your request, our technicians review the design with your engineering team before drawings are frozen and put forward alternative proposals to improve manufacturability and control production cost.
Deliver ready-to-integrate sub-assemblies
Go beyond single parts: an assembled, inspected and traceable sub-assembly that simplifies your purchasing and your industrial organisation.
Keep fielded equipment running
Spare parts and obsolescence management: we re-establish the technical definition of parts that are no longer available and return them to production.
Simplify your supply chain
We deliver throughout Europe, to the United Kingdom and to the United States, and handle export licences in-house: one less flow for your supply chain team to manage.
At your request, we also manage the supply chain around the part, so that you deal with one supplier instead of several. Heat and surface treatments are handled through our network of qualified partners, and finishing and assembly are carried out in-house.
Supply follows your planning: call-off contracts over one or several years, safety stock held at our site and kanban replenishment.
What a defence buyer can verify.
NSPA-registered supplier, NCAGE code BTS84
Publicly verifiable in the NATO Codification System. Direct relationships with prime contractors in Europe, the United Kingdom and North America.
Certified quality system
ISO 9001 certified without interruption since 1996 (ISO 9001:2015, certificate BQA_QMS_C_1993029), EN 9100:2018 targeted for 2027. First article inspection, in-house 3D metrology and lot-by-lot traceability on every programme, with statistical process control on critical characteristics where required.
Production capacity
60 production machines running around the clock, with series of several million parts per year. Bar turning up to Ø 75 × 900 mm, chuck work up to Ø 350 mm, 4- and 5-axis milling up to 600 × 600 × 600 mm in robot-loaded cells.
Secure infrastructure
A secured building with controlled access, monitored day and night by a security company, where sensitive components are stored and handled accordingly. Technical data circulate on a restricted basis, a documented, regularly tested disaster recovery plan (DRP) covers production and IT, and enquiries are handled under NDA on request. No customer reference is published without consent.
Export experience
Around 30% of production is exported to the EU, the United States and the United Kingdom, in line with defence export regulations, with adapted packaging and documentation for each delivery.
A selection of defence production examples.
The references we cannot show are often the ones our clients are most proud of.
Frequently asked questions about defence
Can Mustad Belgium act as a second source for defence components?
Yes. Mustad can take on a component family as a second source, reducing a manufacturer's dependence on a single supplier and adding a supply option based in Belgium, inside the European Union. Parts are machined to the customer's drawing with lot-by-lot traceability.
Can Mustad Belgium absorb a production ramp-up?
Yes. Mustad can add complementary capacity when volumes rise, during a load peak or after a supplier failure, with 60 production machines able to run up to 24/7 in Eupen. Each ramp-up is organised with the customer — need definition, feasibility, qualification where the programme requires it, then production planning.
Does Mustad Belgium manufacture complete weapon systems?
No. Mustad manufactures components and mechanical sub-assemblies that its customers integrate into their own systems, plus its own mechanical products such as the Universal Sight Mount. Its role in the value chain covers manufacturing, industrialisation and design — not complete systems.
What is Mustad Belgium's NATO status and NCAGE code?
Mustad Belgium is registered as a supplier with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) and is identified in the NATO Codification System under NCAGE code BTS84, which can be verified publicly. The company works directly with defence prime contractors in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Which defence components does Mustad Belgium produce?
Mustad produces over 1,000 different defence components across three categories: small arms components for military and sport platforms, ammunition components up to Ø120 mm, and parts for weapons systems — from vehicle platforms to sighting and observation systems. Sub-assembly is handled in-house.
Does Mustad Belgium manage treatments, finishing and assembly?
Yes. Mustad Belgium manages heat and surface treatments through its network of qualified partners, and carries out finishing and assembly operations in-house. You receive finished, ready-to-integrate parts from a single supplier, which keeps your supply chain as simple as possible.
Does Mustad Belgium export defence components?
Yes. Around 30% of production is exported. Mustad Belgium regularly supplies defence OEMs in the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, in compliance with applicable defence export regulations. Export licences are handled in-house, and each delivery is shipped with suitable packaging and its quality documentation.
More questions? Read the full FAQ
A defence project to assess?
Mustad responds within two working days with a first feasibility assessment.
I have a defence programme →Confidentiality guaranteed · NDA available on request