A few weeks before the Bourget air show, the Scaf program (air combat system of the future) led by France, Germany and Spain, is at the center of a controversy with Belgium. During a hearing in the Senate, Éric Trappier, executive director of Dassault Aviation, assured that he is not in favor of expanding the Scaf program to other countries, as mentioned by the Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu and before him Florence Parly, the predecessor of he.
But this time, the message is directed more specifically at Belgium, which wants to join the trio of France, Germany and Spain.
For the Dassault boss, the three-way negotiations have already been difficult to reach an agreement on the division of tasks. A new partner could only complicate and delay the program that aims to produce a demonstrator between 2027 and 2028.
Éric Trappier also addresses the annoying subject: the F-35. He recalls that in 2018 Belgium, like other European countries, opted for the American Lockheed Martin fighter to the detriment of a European plane, the Rafale or the Eurofighter.
“Put more countries that have made this choice, I don’t see the logic”he said, referring to Germany, which also signed on for the F-35s, but well after the launch of the Scaf program.
“Provide added value”
In Belgium, these statements triggered a lively controversy by highlighting the refusal to “give Belgians work”. In the press, the headlines evoked “contempt,” “revenge,” a “hiccup,” even a “diplomatic crisis.”
On Twitter, Major General Marc Thys, Belgian deputy defense chief, believes that Eric Trappier’s statements “cast doubt on France’s credibility in building a European defense.”
Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder, who has advocated for years with industrialists for Belgium’s participation in the Scaf program, does not say “not surprised” and that “this type of statement has blocked the Europe of Defense for years”.
Ludivine Dedonder highlights the skills of her aeronautical companies and her ambition to “Do not enter into a project like this to have crumbs, but to provide added value”.
“Lack of foresight”
This “capital gain” it can only be obtained by participating in the development of the project and not by being a mere subcontractor. Belgian manufacturers, in particular BeLightning (a joint venture made up of Asco Industries, Sabca and Sonaca), have already experimented with the F-35. His participation in the production of the American device only raised 700 million euros instead of the 3.690 million euros promised by the former Minister of the Economy Kris Peeters, that is, less than 20% of the expected amount. This deficit comes from the non-participation of Brussels in 2000.
In 2020, Thibauld Jongen, CEO of SABCA, recalled this error in the Belgian economic headline, the echo.
Inside sightingsan editorial overwhelms the Belgian government for its “lack of foresight” by losing “by negligence” the association with the F-35 and the rejection “due to anti-French ideology” of the industrial offer on the Rafale with 20 billion euros in euro. benefits for the industry.
What place for the Belgians?
Will Belgium have a place in the Scaf? It will be up to the governments of France, Germany and Spain to decide. If this enlargement occurs, which of the three countries will give up what they have obtained to give it to this newcomer? The distribution of tasks would have to be renegotiated at the risk of delaying the program whose calendar, which points to 2040, is already tight.
At the heart of the Scaf, the NGF, Next Generation Fighter, the sixth generation European combat aircraft. Brussels will also have to commit to buying the future European fighter at the risk of offending Lockheed Martin, which has promised to help the Belgians better benefit from the fallout from the mega-contract to buy 34 F-35s. Even Eric Trappier doesn’t think so.
Will the three Scaf partner countries put pressure on Dassault and Airbus to reduce the bill, which could be close to 100 billion euros in a period when military budgets are under pressure since the war in Ukraine and fears of a big conflict?
During the Paris Air Show, which will take place from June 19 to 25, visitors will be able to discover for the first time a pavilion dedicated to Scaf where manufacturers, in particular Dassault and Airbus, will present some of the innovations of the future.
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Source: BFM TV
