On Tuesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte provided explanations at the Defence Industry Forum regarding a range of collaborations primarily undertaken by European member states of the alliance. These announcements aim to demonstrate that Europeans are indeed committed to strengthening their defence capabilities.<\/p>\n
Belgium is participating in a cooperation project involving Airbus A330 MRTT tanker and transport aircraft, alongside seven other European NATO member states. Our country also signed, together with five other European allies, a letter of intent for collaboration on the military transport aircraft Airbus A400M. Additionally, cooperation has been established in the area of critical raw materials. Belgium’s participation in the GlobalEye radar aircraft project was also announced.<\/p>\n
Francken acknowledged that the decision to communicate about the series of military collaborations simultaneously in Ankara is deliberate. “We want to show that we are standing up,” he said, one year after the NATO summit in The Hague agreed on increasing defence budgets. “Europe is still here and not weak.”<\/p>\n
Francken also confirmed the Netherlands-Belgium cooperation on NASAMS air defence. The Netherlands has already purchased the Norwegian air defence system, and Belgium is now joining the contract negotiated by our northern neighbours.<\/p>\n
The AMRAAM air defence missiles used for that system are of American origin. However, the plan is to initiate a European co-production for these missiles. Belgium had previously made clear that it wants to play a role in that co-production.<\/p>\n
The full NASAMS package, including the AMRAAM missiles, carries a price tag of 3.1 billion euros. “That is the largest military purchase I can make as a minister during this legislative period,” said Francken.<\/p>\n
Francken stated that the American demand to increase defence budgets has created a “shock effect” that has spurred cooperation within the European defence industry. The suspension of the FCAS program, which involves the development of a French-German combat aircraft, has not changed that, he added. “FCAS was a failure, but that does not mean all projects for European defence cooperation are the same.”<\/p>\n