By Charlotte Van Campenhout
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Belgium is reconsidering its role in the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS) following sharp criticism of the country’s procurement policy from Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier, a Defence Ministry spokesperson confirmed on Friday.
Trappier slammed the country’s push for full partner status in FCAS – whose primary industrial partners are Dassault Aviation and Airbus – even as Belgium is buying 11 U.S.-made F-35A fighters, as well as committing 300 million euros to the FCAS program.
Dassault leads the design of the costly FCAS fighter, a key pillar of the complex project which seeks to integrate manned aircraft with autonomous drones, and its CEO took exception to the F-35A purchase.
While announcing Dassault’s quarterly financial results last week, Trappier had said: “If (Belgium) gives up the idea of buying F-35s, they’d be welcome. If not, it’s really making a monkey out of us.”
He added that joining FCAS requires a commitment to the European defence industry and warned against countries seeking program benefits without purchasing European-made equipment. Countries want the jobs created by the program, “but they buy from the United States. It’s all rather odd,” Trappier said.
In response, Belgian Defense minister Theo Francken said on Thursday: “The government will evaluate her position in the FCAS project. As a founding father of NATO and the EU, loyal ally and headquarters owner, we can’t take lessons from arrogant industrialists.”
A defence ministry spokesperson said his views – expressed on the minister’s Facebook page – were “clear” but had no further comment. Dassault Aviation on Friday did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Francken’s remarks.
Belgium’s potential reconsideration of its bid for full partner status in FCAS is unlikely to significantly impact the project, though it highlights political tensions within it.
Earlier this week, Dassault raised concerns about the future of FCAS amid a dispute with Airbus over leadership and control of the program.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by David Holmes)
