The Belgian federal government has approved a new strategic defense vision, including the purchase of 11 additional F-35 fighter jets, Minister of Defence of Belgium Theo Francken announced yesterday.
“It is expected that the aircraft, manufactured in Italy, will bring a very large economic return to the Belgian economy,” Francken said after a meeting of the Council of Ministers.
As part of the defense package, the government also adopted the “Ammunition Readiness Plan 2025” with an initial investment of 2.3 billion euros (2.6 million dollars) this year.
“The war in Ukraine shows that ammunition consumption is enormous, which is why we need to establish strategic partnerships with manufacturers to keep production lines operational,” Francken said.
The multi-year plan aims to address the structural shortage of ammunition and covers a wide range of ammunition types and weapon systems, including 155 mm artillery shells, mortar shells, and anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles for ground forces.
The navy will also acquire various missiles to counter threats in the air, on land, at sea, and underwater. For the air component, the plan includes the procurement of various types of guided missiles, designed both for air defense and for long-range precision strikes.
Belgium will also, for the first time, invest in cruise missile capabilities with the Norwegian JSM.
