The decision to purchase the American-made jets was initially taken in 2018 by then-Prime Minister Charles Michel’s government as part of a plan to replace Belgium’s ageing fleet of 45 F-16 fighter jets
François Michel, CEO of John Cockerill, confirmed the company's interest, stating, “Our teams began their research on Friday. The process is moving swiftly. We will visit the site next week with other partners and stakeholders”
The 12-year contract, which was also contested by the Belgian subsidiary of the French group Alstom, has raised concerns about potential job losses and the future of key industrial sites in Bruges and Charleroi
Under Belgium’s political system, if the leading party fails to form a government, the second-largest party takes over the negotiations. In this case, that responsibility would fall to PS, but the party has already made its reluctance clear
Covering a wide range of aspects, from the registration of space objects to the release of scientific data and the utilization of space resources, the accords aim to foster collaboration and ensure a peaceful and sustainable future for space exploration
