European money is spent in the USA. France criticizes Belgium for the F-35

Belgium will consider its participation in the European Future Future Construction Program – the Ministry of Defense of this country said on Friday. It is a reaction to criticism from the head of the French Dassault Aviation group Eric Trappier for the fact that Belgium has decided to buy American F-35.

The General Director of the Dassault Aviation criticized the Belgian pursuit of the status of a full partner in the European Future Fighter Construction Program – FCAS. The reason is Belgium's decision to buy 11 American f-35A fighters.

Trappier, recently presenting the company's financial results, stated that “if Belgium resigns with the F-35, he will be welcome” in the project. “Otherwise, he makes us laughing at us,” he added, quoted by Belgian media.

The Frenchman criticized countries that want to benefit from the program and at the same time buy equipment from the USA. – Everyone wants jobs, but they buy from Americans. It's a bit strange – he said.

The head of Dassault Aviation, cited by the Belgian public broadcaster VRT, also emphasized that the FCAS project is already complicated due to the participation of France, Germany and Spain, and expanding it with new partners can lead to further delays. He announced that if the project structure did not change, the French company would consider independent actions.

The Minister of Defense of Belgium Theo Francken referred to Trappier's statement, emphasizing on Thursday on his social media profile that “the government will review its position to FCAS.”

“As a founding country of NATO and the EU, a loyal ally (…), we do not have to take instructions from arrogant industrialists,” he noted.

Dassault Aviation has not yet referred to Francken's words.

VRT indicates that this is not the first critical statement of Trappier to Belgian participation in FCAS. In May 2023, during the interrogation in the French Senate, the president of Dassault said that if the participation of Belgians in the project was imposed on him, he would oppose it.

Despite this position, France finally agreed to grant Belgium the status of an observer with the possibility of full participation at a further stage of the project. According to sources behind the scenes, specific findings were made about the scope of Belgian commitment, so as not to disturb the current structure of the program.

It is known that Belgium is to focus on developing interoperable solutions related to drones that will work in tandem with new fighters. These types of drones will be able to perform reconnaissance tasks, conduct an electronic fight, transfer weapons, and also act as a “winger” for piloted machines. In the future, they are also to be compatible with Belgian F-35.

FCAS (Future Combat Air System) is a European new generation air combat program that is to replace current fighters, such as Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon, around 2040. This is a joint initiative of France, Germany and Spain.

From Brussels Łukasz Osiński (PAP)

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