Belgium is planning to order additional F-35 fighter jets this year, Defence Minister Theo Francken has announced.
The country already has an order in place for 34 F-35 jets, which are being constructed in the United States. The first of these aircraft arrived in Belgium at Florennes Air Base in October, with others stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona for pilot training and conversion.
Last year, the Belgian government approved a strategic defence plan that includes the purchase of 11 more F-35s. Speaking during the Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Francken expressed hope that the contract for these additional jets would be signed this year. He also held discussions with Jim Taiclet, CEO of Lockheed Martin, the company producing the F-35s.
Francken reiterated his desire for these new aircraft to be “as European as possible,” highlighting opportunities for collaboration. One possibility he mentioned is assembling the jets in Italy at Cameri Air Base, where assembly is currently carried out for Italian and Dutch F-35s.
Belgium’s aviation industry is already benefiting from the F-35 programme. In October, the Flemish company BMT Aerospace and Walloon firm Safran Aero Boosters signed an agreement with engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney to produce components for the F-35’s engines.
