Belgium, after much deliberation, it is possible that under pressure from the United States, it was finally determined to choose the basis of the aircraft fleet of the national air force.
In a dispute between the American fighter of the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II and the European Eurofighter Typhoon for many expectedly won the aircraft company Lockheed Martin from the United States.
According to a number of Western military experts, several factors could influence the decision in favor of the F-35. First, the active lobbying by the administration of Donald Trump of the interests of the American military-industrial complex and the implementation of appropriate pressure on the Belgian government. Secondly, several years ago Belgium agreed to join forces with the Netherlands bordering on the north to control the airspace of both countries, and the Dutch have long been awaiting the arrival of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. It is expected that the presence of the same type of aviation technology in these European neighbors will have a positive impact on their ability to interact, defending air borders. And, thirdly, according to the agreement with Belgium operating within the North Atlantic bloc of NATO, the air forces of the state should have aircraft equipped with equipment for the use of aviation nuclear munitions, which are produced only in the United States. In addition, a significant amount of these weapons, by coincidence, are stored on special arsenals not only in neighboring Germany, but also in Belgium.
In total, the purchase of 34 new stealth technology (radar stealth) of the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, which should replace the physically and morally obsolete, again American, 53 F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft is being considered.
The total cost of a batch of new aircraft with spare engines of Pratt & Whitney and other necessary equipment for servicing aircraft on the airfield is estimated at 6.5 billion US dollars.
