Belgium will hold off on plans to contribute €300 million to the development of the sixth-generation FCAS fighter, which it planned to join at the start of the next development phase. This decision follows from statements by Belgian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Frederik Vansina during parliamentary hearings.
"At this time, we do not have confidence in the direction this program will take. Obviously, we are not going to propose… to the government to invest 300 million euros in something that may not see the light of day," French publication Opex360 quotes him as saying.
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That is, if Belgium's Ministry of Defense does not formalize the need for these expenditures, they simply will not be included in the draft budget and cannot be voted on by parliament. And with this, Belgium's own participation in FCAS development becomes impossible, unless of course the budget is specifically revised.
Defense Express can only recall that Belgium announced its desire to join FCAS back in 2023, while immediately receiving a dose of criticism from Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier for purchasing the F-35.
Despite everything, in April 2025, when the sky over FCAS was already far from cloudless, Belgium received official observer status in the project and in summer confirmed its desire to join as a full partner. But several more months passed and now the decision of the Belgian military command fully demonstrates FCAS's level of chances for success.
And currently, the joint development by France, Germany and Spain resembles the battlefield of a fierce battle, with the front line running not only along borders, but also along the interests of defense giants, which are already much broader. And on different sides simultaneously are the national interests of Paris, Berlin, as well as Dassault and Airbus with headquarters in suburban Paris and Toulouse. And in this story, only Madrid remains on the sidelines, having recently poured €0.7 billion into FCAS.
At the same time, Frederik Vansina directly named the power and ambitions of arms manufacturers as the reason for such a fierce battle.
Since I became head of the defense department, I have also realized what influence these industrialists have in large countries. It's incredible. They are extraordinarily powerful. And sometimes the question arises whether the political world or the industrial world has more influence in these large countries. I think I know the answer, but I wont explain it, noted the head of the Belgian General Staff.
At the same time, he complained that precisely because of the inability of European defense companies to consolidate efforts, Belgium will purchase American F-35s, like 14 other European countries, leaving hope that in the 2060s-2070s, when these aircraft are withdrawn from service, the situation will improve.
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