{
    "title": "Belgium inaugurates F-35 tail unit production line at Sonaca",
    "modified_at": "2026-05-28 16:28:48",
    "published_at": "2026-05-28 16:28:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgium-inaugurates-f-35-tail-unit-production-line-at-sonaca",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/UBHd",
    "culture": "en_BE",
    "language": "EN",
    "slug": "belgium-inaugurates-f-35-tail-unit-production-line-at-sonaca",
    "body": "<p><strong>The first production line for the horizontal tail units of the F-35 fighter jet was officially inaugurated on Thursday at the Sonaca aerospace site in Gosselies. The F-35 programme is expected to create 200 jobs in Belgium and generate 400 million euros in economic returns.</strong></p><p>The tail surfaces - critical components at the rear of the aircraft that ensure stability during flight - are finally assembled by Belgian aerospace company Sonaca in Gosselies. The technology is the product of a Belgian industrial collaboration: Asco Industries manufactures the metal components that form the internal skeleton of the tail surfaces, while Sabca produces the large composite panels that encase it.</p><p>The three companies, together with the Belgian State&#039;s Federal Participation and Investment Company (SFPIM), form the BeLightning consortium. SFPIM provided approximately half of the total capital, which amounted to nearly 200 million euros, a large portion of which was invested in Sonaca and the construction of the new factory. </p><h4 id=\"peace-thru-strength\" >&quot;Peace thru Strength&quot;</h4><p>Prime minister Bart De Wever and Defence minister Theo Francken attended Wednesday&#039;s ceremony, alongside US ambassador Bill White. Following a private tour of the factory, the dignitaries each signed the first tail section to come off the production line. De Wever wrote &quot;Si vis pacem, para bellum&quot; - Latin for &quot;if you want peace, prepare for war,&quot; while Francken wrote &quot;Freedom!&quot; White wrote, on behalf of US president Donald Trump, &quot;Peace thru Strength!&quot;</p><p>Participating in F-35 production allows Belgium &quot;not only to be a consumer, but also an active player in its own security&quot;, De Wever said in his speech. The prime minister expressed hope that the inauguration would &quot;remind us that security is not built through isolationism, but through partnership.&quot; He concluded his speech with the words &quot;Long live NATO, forever.&quot;</p><p>While the order is placed with US company Lockheed Martin, &quot;this is not a traditional purchase from an American supplier,&quot; Francken argued. &quot;Belgian tail surfaces, German fuselage sections, front components from Finland and Italian assembly demonstrate that the programme now relies on an extensive European industrial network.&quot;</p>\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/2c1e37c9-ba22-4783-bf76-18982c4a3c80/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/\"\n                                    srcset=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/2c1e37c9-ba22-4783-bf76-18982c4a3c80/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/ 1x, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/2c1e37c9-ba22-4783-bf76-18982c4a3c80/-/resize/2400x/-/format/auto/ 2x\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"\"\n                id=\"image-2c1e37c9-ba22-4783-bf76-18982c4a3c80\"\n                data-id=\"2c1e37c9-ba22-4783-bf76-18982c4a3c80\"\n                data-original=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/2c1e37c9-ba22-4783-bf76-18982c4a3c80/-/inline/no/Belgaimage-175257062.jpg\"\n                data-mfp-src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/2c1e37c9-ba22-4783-bf76-18982c4a3c80/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"Story image\"\n            />\n            <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover__caption\">\n                <svg class=\"icon icon-expand image-thumbnail-rollover__caption-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-expand\"></use>\n            </svg>            </div>\n        </div>\n\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\"></figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<p><sup>&copy; BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM</sup></p><hr /><p><strong>Related news</strong></p><div id=\"bookmark-316a39b9-236c-4c5c-91b9-b984ac40298e\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgium-to-buy-700m-cruise-missiles-for-f-35-jets-and-drones\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2F737d4228-982e-4caa-b9a3-60d599d927de%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=753ba73ddcd0d88a5250346a0dd870ac)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgium-to-buy-700m-cruise-missiles-for-f-35-jets-and-drones\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"316a39b9-236c-4c5c-91b9-b984ac40298e\"\n           >\n                Belgium to buy 700m euro cruise missiles for F-35 jets and drones            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                Belgium is set to spend nearly 700 million euros on Norwegian-made cruise missiles for its new F-35 fighter jets, according to reports by De Tijd...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Fbelgium-to-buy-700m-cruise-missiles-for-f-35-jets-and-drones&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n",
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            "description": "Belgium to buy 700m euro cruise missiles for F-35 jets and drones",
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