The Belgian government has hinted that it is ready to join the multinational program
What is known
Belgium has ordered 34 fifth-generation fightersF-35 Lightning II. Recently, Lockheed Martin began building the first aircraft. It will be ready by the end of this year, but will remain in the US for pilot training. Deliveries to Belgium are scheduled for 2025.
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Despite the F-35 order, Belgium is readyjoin the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project. The European country is negotiating with interested parties, but so far there is talk of “observer status”.
FCAS project leaders are France, Germanyand Spain. Defense companies Dassault Aviation, Airbus and Indra play an active role in the program. CEO of the first Eric Trappier (Éric Trappier) said that he is against the expansion of FCAS and the inclusion in the project of countries that participate in the F-35 program. Even if we are talking about European countries. However, he does not rule out the possibility of joining observer countries.
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Observer status for Belgium should notworry neither Trappier nor the FCAS partners, as it will not involve the Belgian industry immediately. Defense News writes about this, citing a source in the German industry who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity. In addition, Belgium ordered the F-35 and for 30 years it will not have an urgent need for fighters.
Alain De Neve agrees with this,researcher at the Belgian Royal Higher Defense Institute. He also argues that the exclusion of Belgium from the project solely because of the F-35 order looks unlikely. For example, Germany, as a member of FCAS, allocated almost $10 billion last year for the purchase of the F-35, but still remains in the project, and this did not cause protests from Dassault.
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Belgium has not made an official statementregarding joining the FCAS. However, Olivier Andriès, CEO of Safran, expressed a desire for the country to join the FCAS project, and not the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), which is developing a sixth generation aircraft for the UK, Japan, Italy.
Let's see how events develop further.Dassault Aviation has not yet commented further on Belgium's possible entry into the FCAS program. Indra also remains silent. The Airbus spokesman said only that this is a political decision that France, Germany and Spain should agree on.