On Thursday, Belgium announced plans to purchase Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth jets to replace its fleet of F-16s in a 4 billion euro ($4.55 billion) deal.
European aerospace manufacturers Airbus and Dassault Aviation have expressed regret over Belgium's decision to choose Lockheed Martin F-35A over the Typhoon, manufactured by the Eurofighter joint-venture made up of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo, as well as Dassault's Rafale.
Belgium's Choice of US F-35 Over Eurofighter Leaves Military Experts Split
In a public statement, Airbus Defense and Space said it accepted the move, and was not surprised by the decision given the strong links between Brussels and Washington on defense industrial matters.
“However, Airbus Defense and Space remains firmly convinced that the offer submitted by Team Eurofighter, consisting of the industrial partners of United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Spain, would have represented a superior choice for the country both in terms of operational capability and industrial opportunities. The Eurofighter solution would have resulted in more than €19 billion ($21.66 billion) direct contribution to the Belgian economy,” the statement read.
The manufacturer also described Brussels' choice as a missed opportunity to participate in the planned development of a European-made fifth-generation fighter and strengthen European industrial cooperation.
“This partnership could have also laid the path…
