Not much has been heard about the Belgian Air Component’s future plans in recent years.
The Belgian forces as it stands:
59 X F-16AM/BM – in 4 sqns + 1 OCU at 2 bases
32 X SF 360D/M
28 x Alpha Jet (stationed in France)
3 x SA-316B
23 x A-109
4 x Sea King (being replaced by NH90)
11 X C-130H
8 x Executive Jet (also support EU HQ at Brussels)
On Order
7 x A400M to replace C-130. An 8th example will be operated on behalf of Luxembourg
8 x NH90 – to replace Sea King
So what are the plans for the BAC in terms of:
a. F-16 replacement – some rumours of F-35 though not commitment. What sort of numbers. Will current compliment of 4 small squadrons plus OCU be maintained
b. Training fleet – any news of replacement for SF260 (some quite old) and Alpha Jet
c. Future of A-109 fleet (currently reduced from 46 a/c to 23 a/c. Initial delivery was subject of corruption scandal).
d. Allouette replacement
e. Any other capabilities
By: Ozair - 22nd June 2019 at 17:19
i understand that. On the other hand, they were promised so much….
Given the aircraft is planned to be in service with its primary customer until 2072 I think there is enough time for them to meet the contractual commitment…
By: halloweene - 22nd June 2019 at 11:30
i understand that. On the other hand, they were promised so much….
By: SpudmanWP - 21st June 2019 at 19:21
Given that Belgium signed the contracts in Oct of 2018, it is WAY too soon to expect any contracts, of any kind, to be awarded to Belgian companies yet.
By: TomcatViP - 21st June 2019 at 19:01
Where does you see that Industries in Belgium where “dubious” about the F-35?! They officially pushed the government to reach a deal when everything looked as ready stalled for eternity. We have posted here extracts of news reports both in Dutch and Walloon language that were adamant of a deal to benefice the Belgium industry. EVen, my memory only, Safran Booster (Safran in Bellgium) expressed a similar opinion – but check back with [USER=”7324″]Nils[/USER] and other Belgian forumer..
I call this BS. Perhaps coming from someone adamant to get a ViP badge for the Airshow in Paris !
By: SpudmanWP - 21st June 2019 at 15:23
Because Belgium is not a JSF partner, they cannot bid on Partnership workshare contracts. The only JSF contracts that they will get are a portion of the contracts that are normally promised to the two primes, LM and P&W. This was done with all previous FMS deals. This is how Israel, Japan, and South Korea have any JSF contracts.
Belgium can also get other, non-JSF contracts. In either case, the current contracts covering these areas are still in place so they have to expire before they get reassigned.
By: TooCool_12f - 21st June 2019 at 12:16
basically, what some here were saying for ages… with the F-35 your politicians are promised (or so they say) ,to receive a share of work for buying the aircraft, and in the end, you only get a “chance” to participate as a bidder for shares…
By: halloweene - 21st June 2019 at 09:17
More or less LM answer.
By: SpudmanWP - 21st June 2019 at 03:00
They need to wait for current contracts to expire then the new ones will be divided up.
By: halloweene - 20th June 2019 at 21:56
Paywall and not in English.. no thanks.
Translate the title as you wish.
They are expressing deep unsatisfaction because promised contracts do not come. And when they as for the spec or a subcomponent they must build the answer is “secret”. Furthermore, LM is asking money for IP.
By: Nils - 20th June 2019 at 10:10
well, when the contract for the F-35 was announced in October last year, the contract came out cheaper then expected.
with a leftover of about 365 million euro’s, it was said they intended to invest it in the FCAS program.
however, joining the development doenst neccesarily mean they will buy it.
By: SpudmanWP - 19th June 2019 at 18:09
Belgiumindustrials were dubious about F-35. Now they are angry and make it known to their politics
Paywall and not in English.. no thanks.
By: halloweene - 19th June 2019 at 17:27
Belgiumindustrials were dubious about F-35. Now they are angry and make it known to their politics
By: toan - 28th October 2018 at 17:01
It is UK, German, Italy, and Spain that gave up Tranche 3B Typhoon at first., and now they want to blame Belgium for being disloyal to European cooperation ??
By: dreadnought - 28th October 2018 at 16:10
The only thing that is really sad is that euope is still divided and this way we will never have a EU defence industry that can compete with the US, Chinese or Russians.
I don’t like the F35, but everybody knew this would be the outcome.
The f-16’s won’t last forever, but i think there were cheaper options that would invest more in a future for the EU defence industry then this move. You don’t need an F35 to drop a bomb on a terrorist camp in the middle of nowhere, nor for some air policing. Belgium is not the only EU country to blame on this front, plenty of that to go around,
By: TomcatViP - 28th October 2018 at 16:05
Similar situation than in Switzerland: ppl are opposed to public spending and even more to the amount you need to buy Fighter jets. Replace F-35 by Humvee and you’ll get the same result although I will admit that you’d get a nice set of rims with the money. 😉
By: halloweene - 28th October 2018 at 12:07
Once again, the problem is not flemish vs walloon as some would like. According to polls there is more opposition to F-35 purchase (including pacifists no fighter at all views) in norht flemish than i n south (about 65% vs 55% opposed as far as i remember)
By: halloweene - 28th October 2018 at 11:59
Once again, the problem is not flemish vs walloon as some would like. According to polls there is more opposition to F-35 purchase (including pacifists no fighter at all views) in norht flemish than i n south (about 65% vs 55% opposed as far as i remember)
By: Spitfire9 - 26th October 2018 at 00:56
Good news. Bit of an outburst of common sense in terms of ordering whatever the Netherlands has ordered. There must be a number of potential economies in 2 neighbouring countries using the same type.
But what will be the reaction of the Walloon press?
By: JSR - 25th October 2018 at 16:47
Poor Belgium… aircraft industry there is dead. One more victim of F-35
what choice left for them?. It is more than likely Belgium will be spreading procurement like Italy over number of years.
https://www.defensenews.com/global/e…fense-in-2019/
The source added that F-35 purchases would be “slowed” in order to spread out payments. Italy is currently planning to buy 90 aircraft.
it is just matter of time. All are in the same basket.
https://www.dw.com/en/never-mind-ita…own/a-46016436
Never mind Italy, France faces its own fiscal showdown
[LEFT]The European Commission this week told France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal [COLOR=#3E3E3E][FONT=Georgia][SIZE=15px]and Slovenia that their 2019 budget proposals did not meet recommended targets for cutting longer-term deficit cycles.
[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/LEFT]
By: SpudmanWP - 25th October 2018 at 15:31
DEATH SPIRAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Belgium picks Lockheed’s F-35 over Eurofighter on price
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgium said on Thursday it had chosen Lockheed Martin’s (LMT.N) F-35 stealth jets over the Eurofighter Typhoon to replace its aging F-16s, in a widely-anticipated decision, saying the pick came down to price.
…
“We have landed! This government is investing heavily in defense. With the purchase of F-35A fighter planes … we ensure your safety and that of our military,” Belgian Defence Minister Steven Vandeput said on Twitter during the news conference.“The offer from the Americans was the best in all our seven evaluation criteria,” he later told reporters.
…
Prime Minister Charles Michel’s government said despite a strong desire to support European allies, the F-35 was cheaper for Belgium over the long term, coming in 600 million euros ($684.54 million) under what the government budgeted for.
More at the jump
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-ae…-idUKKCN1MZ1S0
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January 16, 2013 at 4:15 am