 The government 's policy of neutrality had left Belgium with an outdated and ill @-@ equipped army and air force . Above all , the army possessed only 16 battle tanks between its two cavalry divisions for political reasons as they had been considered too " aggressive " for the army of a neutral power . The air force , hurriedly reorganised in May 1940 , was taken by surprise and could only field 180 serviceable aircraft out of its total of 234 . 
