RAF Eurofighter Typhoon - Image: From the net
Reuters Staff
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium has received proposals from
Britain and the United States to replace its ageing fleet of fighter jets,
while a French proposal that was not part of the tender process will be looked
at separately, Belgium’s defence minister said.
Belgium invited government-led proposals in March for the
replacement of its fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16 planes with 34 new fighters,
in a deal that could be worth more than 3.5 billion euros (£3.12 billion).
Last month, France proposed a wide-ranging military deal
with Belgium instead of responding to the tender. The deal goes beyond the
terms of the tender whilst including the sale of Rafale fighter jets.
While the French offer would be discussed by the
government, it could open Belgium to criticism that it was not treating
candidates equally, Vandeput said.
“To be very clear, the French offer is not part of the
contest,” minister Steven Vandeput told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday.
Offers from the U.S. for Lockheed F-35 Lightning II
planes and British offers for the Eurofighter Typhoon did meet the tender
rules, the minister added.
A spokeswoman for the defence ministry said the French
proposal was being checked by its legal services and forwarded to the
government which would decide at a later stage whether or not to respond.
The Rafales are made by France’s Dassault Aviation which
declined to comment on Thursday.
Boeing pulled out of the race last spring.
The French government said that its proposal was in line
with Belgium’s request.
“We have made an extended proposal which is legally
relevant and we are waiting for a proposal by the Belgian government,” a
spokeswoman for the French defence ministry said.
Belgium will make a decision on which jet fighter to pick
next year.
The 34 jets are to be delivered from 2023, at a rate of
4-5 aircraft a year.
Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek and Cyril Altmeyer;
Editing by Elaine Hardcastle
Original post: reuters.com
Related article:
Eurofighter Typhoon: Details
No comments:
Post a Comment