Latest news with #TheoFrancken
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Belgium braces for first F-35 delivery this fall
MILAN — After facing delays, the first F-35A aircraft is expected to arrive in Belgium in the coming months as part of a total order of 34 fighter jets, according to manufacturer Lockheed Martin. In 2018, Belgium selected the American jet and agreed to a €3.6 billion ($4.1 billion) deal for over two dozen of them to be manufactured in the United States. 'Belgium's first F-35 to arrive in country has rolled off the production line and is gearing up for arrival in Belgium this fall,' Lockheed Martin Europe wrote in a social media post on their X platform. Deliveries were initially slated to begin in late 2023, but due to delays in the production of the Joint Strike Fighter program, they were pushed back. In an interview in February with Belgian newspaper Le Soir, Chief of Staff of the Belgian Air Force Gen. Frederik Vansina said the F-35 setbacks also affected the first transfer of the 30 decommissioned F-16s bound for Ukraine. The Belgian F-16s, which have been flying for over 30 years, are intended to be phased out by late 2028 to allow for the delivery of the aging aircraft to Ukraine. The European country currently has over 50 F-16 jets in its arsenal. According to reports from Belgian newspaper De Morgen, Brussels is assessing the possibility of ordering 21 additional F-35s, which, if realized, would bring its total fleet size to 55. The Belgian Ministry of Defense did not respond to a request for comment. Last month, the Belgian Minister of Defense and Foreign Trade Theo Francken said any potential follow-on F-35A purchases could be built in Europe at the final assembly and checkout (FACO) facility in Cameri, Italy.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Belgium's defense minister says drones are the future of warfare, like gunpowder was in the 1300s
Belgium's defense minister said drones are "the future of warfare." Theo Francken, speaking at a drone summit in Latvia, compared drones to gunpowder in the 1300s. Belgium, alongside Turkey, plans to join a group of countries boosting drone production for Ukraine. Belgium's defense minister compared the revolutionary impact of drone warfare to that of gunpowder as European officials pledged to boost drone production for Ukraine. "I really believe that this is the future of warfare, like gunpowder was in the Hundred Years War, like an industrial revolution was in the First World War, and like nuclear capacity was in the Second World War," Theo Francken said, speaking at the Drone Summit 2025 in Riga, Latvia. "Drone technology and drone warfare will be decisive in the Russian-Ukrainian war," he added. "And we need to jump on this train because otherwise we'll lose pretty much everything." Earlier that day, Latvia's defense minister, Andris Sprūds, announced that Belgium and Turkey planned to join the 18-member Drone Coalition for Ukraine, formed in 2024 to pool resources and expertise to produce drones for Ukraine's armed forces. Drones have transformed the war in Ukraine, with Ukraine using cheap uncrewed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, for surveillance and attacks, offsetting Russia's large equipment and personnel advantage. The country has also developed sophisticated long-range strike drones for attacks deep inside Russian territory, not to mention powerful sea drones. Russia, for its part, has developed its own sophisticated drone warfare capabilities and has used drones to attack Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. The Drone Coalition for Ukraine, formed by the UK and Latvia, invested €1.8 billion, or about $2 billion, in producing drones for Ukraine in 2024, Latvian broadcaster LVM reported. On Wednesday, Sprūds, the Latvian defense minister, said the drone coalition was on course to provide €2 billion of further funding for Ukraine's drones in 2025. "Our aim remains to reinforce the supply of drones to Ukraine," he said, "So Ukraine maintains the battlefield superiority but also, of course, invest in Ukraine, so it also develops its own industry." Ukraine's government has set the target of producing 4.5 million military drones in 2025. Speaking at the summit, Luke Pollard, the UK's Minister for the Armed Forces in the Ministry of Defence, echoed Francken's comments about the impact of drones. "The drone coalition exists because we all understand how drones have shifted the tectonic plates of warfare," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Belgium's defense minister says drones are the future of warfare, like gunpowder was in the 1300s
Belgium's defense minister compared the revolutionary impact of drone warfare to that of gunpowder as European officials pledged to boost drone production for Ukraine. "I really believe that this is the future of warfare, like gunpowder was in the Hundred Years War, like an industrial revolution was in the First World War, and like nuclear capacity was in the Second World War," Theo Francken said, speaking at the Drone Summit 2025 in Riga, Latvia. "Drone technology and drone warfare will be decisive in the Russian-Ukrainian war," he added. "And we need to jump on this train because otherwise we'll lose pretty much everything." Earlier that day, Latvia's defense minister, Andris Sprūds, announced that Belgium and Turkey planned to join the 18-member Drone Coalition for Ukraine, formed in 2024 to pool resources and expertise to produce drones for Ukraine's armed forces. Drones have transformed the war in Ukraine, with Ukraine using cheap uncrewed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, for surveillance and attacks, offsetting Russia's large equipment and personnel advantage. The country has also developed sophisticated long-range strike drones for attacks deep inside Russian territory, not to mention powerful sea drones. Russia, for its part, has developed its own sophisticated drone warfare capabilities and has used drones to attack Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. Getting drones to Ukraine The Drone Coalition for Ukraine, formed by the UK and Latvia, invested €1.8 billion, or about $2 billion, in producing drones for Ukraine in 2024, Latvian broadcaster LVM reported. On Wednesday, Sprūds, the Latvian defense minister, said the drone coalition was on course to provide €2 billion of further funding for Ukraine's drones in 2025. "Our aim remains to reinforce the supply of drones to Ukraine," he said, "So Ukraine maintains the battlefield superiority but also, of course, invest in Ukraine, so it also develops its own industry." Ukraine's government has set the target of producing 4.5 million military drones in 2025. Speaking at the summit, Luke Pollard, the UK's Minister for the Armed Forces in the Ministry of Defence, echoed Francken's comments about the impact of drones. "The drone coalition exists because we all understand how drones have shifted the tectonic plates of warfare," he said.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Belgium aims to expedite F-16 transfers to Ukraine and join peacekeeping mission
Source: Kryla (Wings), a Ukrainian aircraft industry news outlet, citing Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken in a statement, as reported by Oboronka, a project of Mezha Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company Details: Belgium is also exploring participation in a peacekeeping mission under the framework of the coalition of the willing. "As for the F-16 aircraft, we were and remain part of the coalition. And we will try to transfer these fighters even earlier than envisaged," Francken said, speaking before a meeting of the EU Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Defence in Brussels. He emphasised Belgium's intention to remain an active supporter of Ukraine's defence, particularly within the coalition of the willing, which consists of a number of partner nations. Francken noted that close coordination is underway among chiefs of staff, led by the United Kingdom and France, with a working group nearing completion of a related plan. Quote: "We are almost there. I believe that the situation is developing in the right direction." Background: In March 2025, the Belgian government warned of delays in F-16 deliveries to Ukraine because of postponed F-35 jet shipments from the United States. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever then indicated that his country might initially supply F-16s for spare parts this year, with combat-ready aircraft expected the following year. In May 2024, Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib said her country would supply Ukraine with 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Metro
13-05-2025
- General
- Metro
Three soldiers injured after shooting incident at UK military base
Three Belgium soldiers have been wounded in a 'shooting incident' at a military base in Scotland. The incident happened on Monday during a large-scale operation named Red Condor, which is currently taking place in Kinloss Barracks, a former RAF base in Moray. Belgium's defence ministry told the BBC that two of the soldiers were in a stable condition, with one expected to undergo surgery in Scotland before returning to Belgium. The third was taken to hospital with minor injuries and has since been discharged. In a post on X, prime minister Bart De Wever offered his condolences to the injured soldiers and their families. He wrote: 'I have received the sad news that three soldiers from the Third Parachute Battalion were injured during an exercise in Scotland.' 'I wish the injured a speedy recovery. My thoughts are with their loved ones.' Belgium's defence ministry said approximately 10 other soldiers suffered hearing damage. An investigation has been opened to shed light on the exact circumstances of the incident. Defence minister Theo Francken said: 'We do everything to train, train and protect our personnel as best we can, but sometimes things don't go as planned.' More Trending As many as 600 soldiers have travelled from Belgium to Scotland for the exercise. On Saturday, large convoys of Belgian Armed Forces vehicles were spotted entering Kinloss Barracks. Red Condor is part of the operational preparation of the third Parachute Battalion and aims to achieve their 'Special Operations Land Task Group' (SOLTG) certification. Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. For more stories like this, check our news page. Follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. MORE: 'Welcoming' town crowned the UK's top affordable location for families — with £540 a month mortgages MORE: Fairground company apologises after ride crashed with children inside MORE: 'Extreme risk' of wildfires across Scotland as crews tackle 10-acre blaze
