France, Germany, Spain… and soon Belgium? SCAF, the air combat system of the future, is one of the stars of the international air and space spectacle making its grand return at Le Bourget this week.
On this occasion, the director of the program for Airbus is speaking on the BFM Business plateau to address the prospects for growth in the years to come when the Council of the Belgian Ministers is showing favorably to the idea of rejoining the last week. Bruno Fichefeux thus evoked “a change in logic because the Belgians have always bought America until now”.
However, this interest from Brussels is welcome, but its realization is subject to the approval of the political actors. “As industrialists, we also look at what skills they bring,” he stresses. The Belgian aircraft industry is quite competent in the structures, the engines. Then, we will wait for the message from our politicians who will tell us ‘forward with the Belgians’. We will have to talk with them and see if we find a win-win balance that does not jeopardize what has been achieved so far”.
First an observer role like Spain in 2019?
Bruno Fichefeux indicates in particular that Belgium could integrate the SCAF through an observer role, like the one assigned to Spain for the first time four years ago. “The Spanish Air Force entered into dialogue with the French and German Air Force to understand the expression of the need, how the program works, he explains. Then we gave access to Spain in terms of security, accreditation to be able to dialogue. with the manufacturers.
Despite the participation of other European countries in alternative initiatives, SCAF does not close the door on them. “Italy’s choice to have joined the British initiative with the Japanese is a political issue,” said the Airbus program manager.
The industrialist justifies this necessary cooperation by the problem of colossal costs, Europe having “a lot to do with the Americans or the Chinese.” “No nation alone is capable of financing this type of project, hence the need for cooperation to be able to pool defense budgets, to work together around a project in which, with more partners, we can finance any of these ambitions”.
Source: BFM TV
