Safran Aero Boosters of Liège and BMT Aerospace of Oostkamp will manufacture components for the F-35 Lightning II engine under an agreement signed with Pratt & Whitney at the Farnborough International Airshow.
BMT Aerospace announced the deal on Thursday. It was signed on Wednesday with Pratt & Whitney, the group that assembles the F135 engine for the fifth-generation fighter jet.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Defence Minister Theo Francken and Walloon Minister-President Adrien Dolimont. In a press release, the companies described it as an important milestone.
The two Belgian companies will supply Pratt & Whitney with large and highly complex parts for the F135 engine. This is the engine used in the F-35 Lightning II, several dozen of which were bought by the Belgian armed forces to replace the ageing F-16 fleet.
Safran Aero Boosters and BMT Aerospace will use advanced additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, to produce the titanium parts, which are described as among the most critical. The companies said this should reduce both costs and production times.
The exact terms of the contract were not disclosed.
