Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has asked his Italian counterpart whether the additional F-35 fighters that Belgium wants to order could be built in Italy rather than the United States, the Belga news agency reported, citing an interview with “Het Laatste Nieuws.”
According to Francken, this could create additional jobs in Europe.
In 2018, former Defense Secretary Steven Vandeput ordered 34 F-35 aircraft from the American company Lockheed Martin. These fighters are built in the US, in Fort Worth, Texas. The first aircraft are already ready, and pilot training is underway at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.
The current Belgian government, however, intends to buy additional fighters soon, as stipulated in the coalition agreement. According to Francken, these should be F-35s.
“I asked the Italian defense minister if we could produce them in Italy instead of the U.S., which would also create European jobs,” Francken told Het Laatste Nieuws. The F-35 would be assembled in Cameri, Italy.
Cameri Air Base is the military aviation center where these aircraft are assembled in Europe. It is the main assembly line for Italian and Dutch F-35s and Italian F-35Bs.
The Belga agency reported that it was unclear whether new aircraft built in Europe would be counted as European purchases. This refers to the EC's proposed €150 billion SAFE loan program, which provides for loans for joint military procurement.
From Brussels Łukasz Osiński (PAP)
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