ACCAp program: Belgium to review French proposed partnership legality

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World Aviation Defense & Security News - Belgium
 
 
ACCAp program: Belgium to review French proposed partnership legality
 
The Belgian Defense Minister Steven Vandeput today confirmer that France did not formally respond to the Request for Government Proposal for the Belgian Air Force's ACCAp program, which aims to replace the country's ageing fleet of 54 F-16 fighter jets.
     
ACCAp program Belgium to review French proposed partnership legality 640 001French Air Force's Rafale B & C fighter jets
(Credit: Dassault Aviation)
     
If the Minister confirmed that France made a direct proposal, He however did not indicate wether Paris' offer would be taken into account. "We must first consider the legal status of this proposal", he said today to the Flemish radio network Radio 1.

Yesterday evening, only two candidates had formally responded to the RFGp: the US company Lockheed Martin with its F-35A and the European consortium Eurofighter GmbH with its Typhoon.

On Friday morning, Steven Vandeput said that there were "two candidates engaged in the official procedure and the French proposal," without however stating an opinion on the possible taking into account of the latter.

“Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly proposed to the defense minister of the Kingdom of Belgium establishing a deep partnership between our two countries in response to (a) requirement of the Belgian Air Force,” the French armed forces ministry said yesterday in an official statement.

These proposed partnership would "strengthen European defence and its strategic autonomy at a time when this is more necessary than ever,” the ministry added.