Airbus announced on June 17, 2024, that Belgium精东影业 armed forces will receive 15 H145M helicopters while the Federal Police have been assigned two new aircraft, with an option for three more.

鈥淲e are proud that Belgium is joining the growing community of H145M users,鈥� said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. 鈥淚n Europe, the robust multi-role helicopter is becoming the reference for tactical airlift capability, special operations, and medical evacuation missions. We are sure that the H145M will quickly become a key asset to the Belgian defense and security portfolio.鈥�

According to Airbus the H145M can be 鈥渞econfigured from a light attack role, with axial ballistic and guided weapons and a state-of-the-art self-protection system, to a special operations version, including fast rappelling equipment鈥�.

Additionally, the H145M includes options for future mission capabilities, including data links, further communication systems, and digitalization of mission-capabilities.

The US Army employs almost 500 helicopters from the H145 family under the name of while current operators of the H145M includes Hungary, Serbia, Thailand and Luxembourg.

Cyprus has ordered six aircraft as well as Brunei and the United Kingdom (UK).

On June 6, 2024, Airbus and German Ministry of the Interior announced an order for 44 H225 helicopters for the country精东影业 Federal Police.

The record order for the H225 includes 38 firm orders with options for a further six helicopters.

Germany places order of up to 44 Airbus H225 helicopters for its Federal Police

• Defense

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-06-07

The QRA involves two fighter aircraft being permanently on standby, ready to scramble within minutes to intercept any unidentified aircraft. The Dutch F-16 fighter aircraft have been on QRA duties since 1981. The Netherlands and Belgium alternate responsibility for these tasks every few months, with Belgium taking over again on May 9, 2024.

The Dutch F-35s have now taken on full responsibility for QRA, which marks a significant step in the gradual retirement of the F-16s. The Koninklijke Luchtmacht is currently phasing out its fleet of F-16A fighters and replacing them with 52 F-35A stealth fighters. On March 28, 2024, a final “scramble” with the F-16s was conducted at Volkel Air Base.

However, for the pilots, the transition to using only F-35s brings minimal change in operational readiness.

鈥淭he conditions remain the same,鈥� Major Nick, the squadron’s deputy chief of operations, commented. 鈥淭he F-35 is, above all, a more modern platform, which makes things easier. The aircraft can fly longer and has better sensors. The F-35 sends the right signal to the enemy.鈥�

The Air Operations Control Station in Nieuw Milligen, Netherlands, coordinates QRA activities and promptly alerts the aircraft to intercept any non-responsive or unidentified intruders. F-35s are stationed at Leeuwarden and Volkel air bases in the Netherlands.

As for Belgium, the Control and Reporting Center (CRC) in Beauvechain oversees QRA operations, while the Belgian fighters are based at Kleine-Brogel and Florennes.

Dutch government halts F-16 sale talks with Draken to deliver to Ukraine

• Defense
• War in Ukraine

byClement Charpentreau

2024-02-06

The Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 777F service will fly directly from Brussels International Airport (BRU) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).聽

The new operation will commence on April 3, 2024, and will run twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays.   

Announcing the new service on March 13, 2024, Lufthansa Cargo confirmed that the entire routing will lead from Frankfurt via Brussels to Chicago and back to the home hub in Frankfurt.   

Lufthansa Cargo highlighted the importance of Brussels Airport as the 鈥減referred European pharma gateway鈥�. 

“We are looking forward to our customers being able to book on this new route with immediate effect. Brussels Airport is an important hub for the pharmaceutical business in particular. With our new connection, we can now offer an even more attractive network, and in particular a direct connection for particularly time-critical freight, which now includes up to 34 freighter connections from Europe to North America,” Ashwin Bhat, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, said. 

According to Lufthansa Cargo, BRU has the largest surface of pharma warehouses in Europe while staff at the airport are specialized in the handling of time and temperature sensitive goods. 

鈥淲e are happy to be welcoming Lufthansa Cargo in our airport community and to support their cargo operations to and from Brussels Airport. With our shared focus on the reliable and efficient transport of pharmaceuticals and a shared ambition in terms of sustainability, as they are pioneering technologies such as sharkskin technology and invest in Sustainable Aviation Fuel, they are an important asset to our cargo network,鈥� Arnaud Feist, CEO of , said.聽

From March 31, 2024, Lufthansa Cargo精东影业 fleet of Boeing 777Fs will complete 82 weekly connections around the globe.  

Between Europe and North America there will be 34 connections per week and 42 direct links from Europe to Asia. 

From Europe, Lufthansa Cargo will also visit South America four times a week and the Middle East and Africa twice a week.  

A fleet of Airbus A321Fs form the short and medium-haul network with up to 18 destinations and belly capacity is available on Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines and SunExpress flights.聽聽

Lufthansa Cargo extends IATA CargoIS agreement

• Air Cargo

byMichael Jonga

2024-03-13

The FCAS program is defined by its stakeholders as a 鈥榮ystem of systems鈥� built around a sixth-generation fighter jet. It currently regroups companies from France, Germany, and Spain. On the sidelines of the Paris Air Show 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Belgium would join the program as an observer country. 

Belgium joins FCAS European fighter program as observer

• Defense
• Paris Air Show

byClement Charpentreau

2023-06-20

In a brief message posted on LinkedIn, Dedonder not only confirmed that the observer agreement was slated for December 2023 but revealed that Belgium plans to fully join the FCAS.聽

“In June 2025, Belgium will officially integrate the Next Generation Weapon System/Future Combat Air System program,鈥� stated Dedonder. 鈥淭he development of a next-generation air combat capability is a unique opportunity for Europe.鈥� 

As reported by the French media outlet , Belgium hopes to join the program before Phase 2 of the FCAS initiative. The program is currently in Phase 1B, during which manufacturers will design a technology demonstrator of the ‘system of systems’ centered around a sixth-generation fighter jet known as the Next Generation Fighter (NGF).  

New industrial tensions ahead? 

Further negotiations between the participating countries and their manufacturers are expected to occur before the commencement of actual production for the flying demonstrator in Phase 2. Belgium精东影业 full involvement is likely to reignite the tensions that led to a year-long stalemate before industrials reached an agreement for Phase 1B.  

Days before the Paris Air Show 2023, Eric Trappier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dassault Aviation, voiced some reservations regarding Belgium精东影业 participation in the FCAS program.  

鈥淚 think we have to stick to what we committed to, which is already not easy: we have to do phase 1B with three countries,鈥� Trappier said during a hearing before the French Senate on May 24, 2023. 鈥淚 hope that we will continue with phase 2, which will make it possible to fly the future plane, also with three countries. [鈥 The discussions will be longer if we want to expand cooperation.鈥�  

Dassault and Safran divided on Belgium joining the FCAS program

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2023-06-16

As part of NATO agreements, two Danish F-16s were called into action on the morning of August 14, 2023, and the Russian Tupolev Tu-95 ‘Bear’ bombers were intercepted before they could enter Dutch airspace. The Russian aircraft were escorted away from the airspace.  

Following the incident, the Norwegian Armed Forces took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to specify that the two Russian bombers were 鈥渋n international airspace over the North Sea鈥� when they were intercepted. 

A spokesperson for the RNLAF told that aircraft are intercepted if they lack a unique identifying code, do not submit a flight plan, and do not engage in two-way communication. 

鈥淭his doesn’t happen very often, but today’s incident highlights the importance of quick deployment,鈥� the RNLAF said in a statement. 

The deployment of the fighter jets was part of a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA), which is a state of military readiness where aircraft are kept on standby to rapidly respond to immediate aerial threats, enabling them to take off within minutes to intercept unidentified or potentially hostile aircraft. The QRA was announced at 7:19 am local time.  

NATO fighters are on standby 24 hours a day and can take off within minutes. The Netherlands and Belgium alternate with monitoring not only Dutch airspace but also the entire Benelux region.  

Indian Air Force strengthens border defenses ahead of talks with China

• Defense

byEmilia Stankeviciute

2023-08-14

first reported the news, citing information confirmed by the spokesperson for Minister of Defense Ludivine Dedonder. As a result, the Belgian defense authorities now anticipate a delay of at least six months in receiving the ordered aircraft. The United States has also reportedly refused to receive new F-35 planes.  

In October 2018, Belgium selected the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II over the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale. The country purchased a total of 34 F-35A aircraft to replace the Belgian Air Component fleet of F-16 fighters. The first of these fighters is currently in its final assembly line and is expected to be ready by December 2023.  

However, the certification and qualification of the software and final delivery of the remaining aircraft are contingent on the results of a comprehensive test campaign, which is currently projected to conclude in the second quarter of 2024, the minister explained. 

The delivery delay of the F-35s will also have a knock-on effect on the training of Belgian pilots, which was initially scheduled to take place in the United States. With the anticipated delays, the training of pilots will commence later than planned. 

On the sidelines of the Paris Air Show in June 2023, Belgium announced its intention to join the Future Combat Air System, or FCAS program, initially as an observer country. The FCAS program is defined by its stakeholders as a 鈥榮ystem of systems鈥� built around a sixth-generation fighter jet. It regroups companies from France, Germany, and Spain, with Dassault and Airbus leading the project.  

Belgium joins FCAS European fighter program as observer

• Defense
• Paris Air Show

byClement Charpentreau

2023-06-20

鈥淭he noise concerns of the community around Brussels airport must be heard, but it is profoundly unfortunate that Minister Gilkinet has attempted to circumvent the Balanced Approach, which is the long-accepted and successful international process for managing airport noise impacts,鈥� Rafael Schvartzman, Regional Vice President for Europe at IATA, said. 

According to the association, the new proposal, put forth by Belgium精东影业 Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet, is 鈥減remature鈥� and 鈥渋gnores Belgium精东影业 international obligations under the Balanced Approach to noise, including bilateral air service agreements and which is also enshrined in EU law鈥�. 

鈥淓veryone has the right to quiet nights,鈥� Gilkinet said. 鈥淚t is this quality of life that I am determined to defend, while guaranteeing an economically sustainable operation at the airport.鈥� His proposal would introduce a curfew from 11 PM to 6 AM and aim to reduce noise by 30% between 9 PM to 11 PM, by 20% from 6 AM to 7 AM, and by 7% from 7 AM to PM. 

鈥淭his will be a significant gain in terms of quality of life and public health for more than 1.1 million Belgians in the three Regions,鈥� Gilkinet added, as cited by Radio-t茅l茅vision belge de la Communaut茅 fran莽aise (RTBF, Belgian Radio-television of the French Community). Belgium精东影业 three regions are Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels. 

IATA pointed out that per the Balanced Approach, flight restrictions must be used as a last resort, done only 鈥渁fter a detailed consultation and cost-benefit analysis, and when the noise benefits to be gained from other possible measures of the Balanced Approach have been exhausted鈥�. 

鈥淭he Balanced Approach specifically helps to mitigate noise while protecting the benefits of air connectivity for the economy and community both near the airport and across Belgium as a whole, not least in terms of thousands of jobs,鈥� Schvartzman added. 

In June 2023, Gilkinet also proposed banning domestic flights within Belgium, citing environmental concerns. 

The Belgian minister has followed a similar model used at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS), where the government imposed a cap upon annual flight movements, which was upheld by the Amsterdam Court of Appeal in July 2023. 

鈥淲e also urge the European Commission to defend its laws and air service agreements,鈥� Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, said at the time. 鈥淎nd most importantly, we continue to ask the Dutch government to revert to the Balanced Approach which is the most effective and only internationally accepted means of dealing with the noise concerns of the local community.鈥� 

Dutch court confirms flight reduction at Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport

• Airport

byClement Charpentreau

2023-07-09

The decision was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron following a ministerial conference on air defense in Europe organized on the sidelines of the Paris Air Show 2023. 

鈥淭his is a major development,鈥� Macron said. 鈥淭his enlargement will further anchor this project in Europe at the heart of tomorrow’s air defense.鈥� 

The entry of Belgium into the FCAS program was touted by Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder on June 10, 2023. It is now confirmed. 
 
鈥淎s a country with an excellent aerospace and defense industry, we absolutely could not miss this opportunity,鈥� Dedonder commented after Macron精东影业 announcement. 鈥淏y joining this project, we are including our country in a structuring program in many areas of technological innovation which will have both military and civilian applications.鈥� 

The FCAS program is defined by its stakeholders as a 鈥榮ystem of systems鈥� built around a sixth-generation fighter jet. It regroups companies from France, Germany, and Spain. 

More industrial dissensions on the horizon?

Ahead of the Paris Air Show 2023, Olivier Andri猫s, the CEO of the French group Safran, publicly expressed his support for Belgium精东影业 participation in the FCAS program.  

However, Eric Trappier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dassault Aviation, voiced some reservations, which he reiterated after the announcement. 

鈥淭he more partners we have, the more difficult it is,鈥� Trappier said in an interview with . “Regrettably, European nations still want to pursue the concept of a ‘fair return’, whereby each country expects territorial benefits proportionate to its financial contributions.” 

鈥淭hat精东影业 not how we develop the best aircraft,鈥� the CEO of Dassault concluded. 

Dassault and Safran divided on Belgium joining the FCAS program

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2023-06-16

This announcement comes in direct contrast to the stance taken by his other French counterpart in the program, Eric Trappier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dassault Aviation.  

In an interview published by the newspaper on June 15, 2023, Andri猫s reacted to the wish of Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder to join the FCAS: “It is totally logical that Belgium wishes to join one of the major European programs for combat aircraft of the future. And obviously, my wish is for Belgium to join FCAS rather than Tempest [a competing European fighter program involving the United Kingdom, Italy and Sweden – ed. note].”聽聽

Dissension among the French players of the FCAS program? 

During a hearing before the French Senate on May 24, 2023, Eric Trappier, the CEO of Dassault Aviation, expressed his opposition to European countries that have chosen to adopt the US-made F-35 fighter aircraft, particularly Belgium, joining the FCAS program.  

鈥淯nder these conditions, I suggest creating an F-35 club within the SCAF project,鈥� Trappier said. 鈥淚 think we have to stick to what we committed to, which is already not easy. We have to do phase 1B with three countries. I hope that we will continue with phase 2, which will make it possible to fly the future plane, also with three countries. […] The discussions will be longer if we want to expand cooperation.鈥� 

But for Andri猫s, the F-35, and the NGF [Next Generation Fighter, the fifth-generation fighter jet developed within the FCAS – ed. Note] are not mutually exclusive.  

“Belgium has bought F-35s as part of the missions assigned to it within the framework of NATO,鈥� Andri猫s pointed out. 鈥淲e must be consistent. Germany has also bought F-35s and we agree to collaborate with it.鈥� 

The thorn of NATO nuclear sharing 

Both Belgium and Germany are part of an arrangement known as NATO nuclear sharing. Negotiated secretly during the Cold War, it was meant to ensure a quicker response to any nuclear threat coming from the Soviet Union.  

Hundreds of US B61 nuclear gravity bombs are stored in several bases across Europe, namely in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, as well as in Turkey. Participating member states must maintain a combat aircraft able to operate the B61s stockpiled on their soil.  

Save for Turkey, which was excluded from the Joint Strike Fighter program, all participants of NATO nuclear sharing have placed orders for the Lockheed Martin F-35 fifth-generation fighter jet. The aircraft is currently undergoing certification by the United States Air Force for it to use the B61. It completed the final flight test in October 2021. 

It is worth pointing out, however, that Germany did not have any F-35 aircraft on order when the FCAS program was initiated in 2020. The decision of the Federal Ministry of Defense was announced on March 14, 2022.

FCAS: Dassault ready for 鈥減lan B鈥� if cooperation with Airbus fails

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2021-03-17

Ultimately a political decision 

Andri猫s emphasized that the final decision rests with the governments of France, Germany and Spain, who are currently participating in the FCAS program. 

“This is a decision that falls to the governments, not the industrialists,鈥� Andri猫s said. 鈥淭herefore, if Belgium makes a sovereign and entirely respectable choice to join the SCAF program instead of the Tempest [a competing European fighter program involving the United Kingdom, Italy and Sweden – ed. note], I would wholeheartedly welcome it as a French industrialist.鈥� 

Defined by its stakeholders as a 鈥榮ystem of systems鈥� built around a sixth-generation fighter jet, the FCAS program is composed of several subprograms, or 鈥榩illars鈥�, which had to be distributed among manufacturers. This distribution process put the project into an almost year-long stalemate, with governments and manufacturers debating over conflicting industrial interests. 

Dassault and Airbus reached an agreement on the Future Combat Air System program on December 1, 2022. Following the agreement reached between the manufacturers, the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has announced details of the contract for the next phase, 1B, of the FCAS project.  

It has been awarded to Dassault Aviation, the German and Spanish branches of Airbus Defense and Space, Indra and EUMET, a joint venture between Safran Aircraft Engines and MTU Aero Engines. 

Dassault, Airbus receive contract for next FCAS phase

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2022-12-16

The bombings were carried out at Brussels Airport (BRU) and an underground metro station and killed 32 people and injured more than 300.  

Hearings, which officially started in Brussels on December 5, 2022, are expected to take up to eight months. At least 1,000 people, including survivors, witnesses, and experts, are expected to be represented.  

Nine alleged members of the Daesh group cell, the global terrorist group also known as ISIS, who launched both the March 2016 suicide bombings in Belgium and the November 2015 attacks in Paris, currently face terrorism charges, including potential life sentences if convicted.   

Meanwhile, the tenth suspect, who is accused of being the lead planner of the attacks, is presumed dead, and will be tried in absentia. Presiding judge Laurence Massart confirmed the identity of the defendants, according to .  

Deadliest attack on Belgium 

The attacks, which were the worst Belgium had ever seen in its territory, took place on March 22, 2016.   

The first attack was carried out in the departure lounge at Brussels Airport (BRU). Two suicide bombers detonated their suitcase bombs causing two explosions. According to a released by International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, at least 14 people were killed and at least 106 were injured from the explosions at the time.  

Meanwhile, a single suicide bomber detonated his explosive belt inside a train car at the Maelbeek underground metro station, located near the European Parliament. According to Belgian officials, more than 20 people were killed and at least 130 were injured.  

The combined attacks killed at least 30 people and injured more than 340 survivors.  

ISIS later claimed responsibility for both attacks.  

It is expected that the hearings will be held until at least June 2023.