Minister Francken: « Future Belgian F-35s can be produced in Italy »

Belgium previously ordered 34 F-35 hunt aircraft from the American Lockheed Martin. They are currently being made in Texas, USA. But in the future, Francken wants them to be made in the production facility of Lockheed Martin in Italy.

Francken sat together on Wednesday with Michael Williamson, who leads Lockheed Martin International. Belgian F-35s would be produced in Italy, the minister announces via X. According to his spokesperson, this certainly applies to any future purchases. If NATO imposes the purchase of extra combat aircraft, the government will have to do that too, Prime Minister Bart De Wever said earlier.

Only then it has not yet been said that they should also be F-35s. Within the majority, not everyone is convinced of the need to purchase extra American devices. Les Engagés chairman Yvan Verougstraete said last month that Belgium uses that money better in a different way. « Otherwise we will only increase our dependence on the United States. »

Also view. In the American desert, where Belgian pilots with F-35s learn to fly: « No other device in the world is only close in terms of capacities »