2023-09-14 18:11:00
“Here we have one of the jewels of our country’s aeronautical industry,” declared the head of the federal government following visiting this company specializing in the production of parts made of composite materials.
In 2018, the Belgian government decided to purchase 34 F-35 fighter jets for the air component to replace the aging F-16s. As part of the Essential Security Interests (IES) commitments made under the F-35 program, Lockheed should offer opportunities for Belgian companies to participate industrially in the different phases of the program.
“Our companies should have maximum participation in projects arising from Belgian defense investments,” Mr De Croo said during the visit.
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“It is not only important for economic performance along the industrial chain. It is also important to keep the existing technological know-how in our country at the top and deploy it on a global scale. An industry of strong defense in Belgium and Europe is essential for the security of our citizens and our allies”; added the Prime Minister.
It is in Lummen, thanks to new high-tech tools, that SABCA – now integrated into the Belgian group Orizio – will produce elements of the F-35 under an agreement signed between Lockheed and Belgian industry. The BeLightning joint venture, made up of Asco Industries, SABCA and Sonaca Group, has obtained the manufacturing of at least 400 horizontal tail planes (in the jargon of “Horizontal Tail Planes”, HTP) for the F- 35.
Last June, during the International Air and Space Show (SIAE) at Le Bourget, near Paris, SABCA and Lockheed signed a second framework agreement, which should lead to the production, in Lummen, of wing elements of the F-35 – called “the Big 5” -, for a potential amount of 500 million euros.
“Belgium was completely ripped off by purchasing the American F-35 fighter plane”
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