Alongside the arrival of Belgium’s first F-35A Lightning II fighters at Florennes Air Base, the Belgian government has signed a new agreement with Pratt & Whitney, the RTX subsidiary that manufactures the F135 engine powering the aircraft.
The agreement, announced on October 13, 2025, during the F-35 delivery ceremony, will expand Belgium’s role in the global F-35 industrial network by enabling local production of key engine components.
Under the new deal, Safran Aero Boosters will establish manufacturing capabilities for selected F135 components at its facility in Milmort, near Liège. The agreement also consolidates a long-standing partnership with BMT Aerospace, based in Oostkamp, which will collaborate on developing and producing major engine structures through an “innovative manufacturing concept,” according to the companies.
Strengthening Belgian participation in the F-35 supply chain
The initiative is presented as a significant industrial return for Belgium’s participation in the F-35 program, complementing earlier cooperation between Safran and BMT on a joint Research and Technology project for advanced engine-component production.
Safran Aero Boosters CEO François Lepot described the new agreement as “a clear signal of Belgium’s political commitment to industrial sovereignty and job creation,” adding that it ensures “a strategic role for Belgian industry in the supply chain of this iconic aircraft program.”
Cooperation between Flanders and Wallonia
Both companies emphasized the regional balance of the deal. With Safran Aero Boosters representing Wallonia and BMT Aerospace based in Flanders, the project is supported jointly by the Walloon and Flemish regional governments, the Belgian Ministry of Defense, and the federal government’s economic arm.
BMT Aerospace CEO Benoit Reynders said the partnership highlights “how innovation and cooperation between regions can deliver world-class capabilities,” noting that it also “secures long-term industrial activity and skilled jobs in Flanders.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment and Economy David Clarinval called the deal “a strategic investment in Belgium’s security, sovereignty, and industrial strength,” underscoring that “every euro invested acts as a lever for our industry, employment, and economy.”
“Beyond Lockheed Martin“
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said the agreement demonstrates that “the economic return of the F-35 program extends beyond Lockheed Martin,” stressing that the partnership ensures Belgian innovation “in an essential component: the F-35’s engine.”
The industrial plan adds to Belgium’s growing footprint within the F-35 program, following earlier commitments to training, maintenance, and logistics work across multiple regions.
