Belgium plans new order of F-35 fighter jets this year
Belgium intends to place an order this year for additional F-35 fighter jets, Defence minister Theo Francken told the specialised website Breaking Defense. He stressed that the American-made aircraft should be "as European as possible".
An order for 34 F-35s has already been placed. The aircraft are being built in the United States. In mid-October, the first jet landed in Belgium at Florennes Air Base. Several others are currently stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where Belgian fighter pilots are undergoing training.
Last year, the government approved a new strategic vision for Defence, which provides for the purchase of eleven additional F-35s. Francken said he hopes to sign the contract for that order later this year. He made the remarks on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where he also met Jim Taiclet, CEO of F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
Europe first
Francken reiterated that the additional jets "must be as European as possible, and there are many opportunities and possibilities for this". He expressed hope that they could be assembled in Italy, at Cameri Air Base in the north of the country, where the final assembly of Italian and Dutch F-35s already takes place.
Belgium's aviation industry is also involved in the programme. In October, the Flemish company BMT Aerospace and the Walloon firm Safran Aero Boosters signed an agreement with engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney to produce components for the F-35 engine.
PHOTO © JOHN THYS / AFP
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