BELFAST — Theo Francken, Belgium’s defense minister, said in a series of new updates today that the country is eyeing up its largest-ever ammunition order, and will soon retire NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters (TTHs), as he labelled the rotary acquisition a “bad purchase.”
Francken did not share any additional details related to the ammunition buy, but local media reported that the procurement package amounts to €2.3 billion ($2.7 billion) and will be submitted to the Belgian federal cabinet next week.
“We’re making our country’s biggest ammunition purchase to date,” Francken shared on X, in a translated message. “We’re finally going to be taken seriously.”
In comments heavily critical of the troubled NH90 — a helicopter similarly cancelled or ended prematurely by Australia, Norway and Sweden — Francken said that Belgium’s four TTH standard aircraft will be “decommissioned from September.” He described the rotorcraft as “[e]xtremely expensive to maintain. Replacements to come in 2026.” He did not elaborate on which model of helicopter will succeed the NH90.
NH90-maker NHIndustries (NHI) is a joint venture between Airbus, Leonardo and GKN Fokker. NHI and Airbus had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.
RELATED: Belgian defense minister says FCAS, GCAP 6th-gen fighter projects show Europe failing to integrate
Data overload threatens decisionmakers as autonomy expands
Reducing cognitive overload on warfighters while improving “time to trust” for autonomous systems is a matter of design.
Belgium is one of four partner nations, alongside Germany, Italy and The Netherlands, involved in the NH90 Block 1/Software Release 3 upgrade program, launched last year. The effort envisions a major uplift in capability for the TTH and the NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) configuration and includes the introduction of a new Link 22 datalink, Leonardo’s LEOSS-T Electro-Optical gimbal, sonar equipment and “additional weapons integration,” according to a NHI statement.
Regarding other business, Francken also alleged that an “unfortunate accident at the [Naval Group] Lorient shipyard” in France “under the company’s responsibility” has led to delay in delivery of the Belgian Navy M940 Oostende — first ship of the City-class mine countermeasures vessels. “No additional cost, but an annoying problem,” Francken commented. “We’ll be keeping a close eye on it!”
Francken did not share further details, though it’s likely a reference to an incident reported in late May. A Naval Group spokesperson confirmed in a statement to Breaking Defense today that “during a USV integration test with the M940 Oostende, the vessel collided with the floating pontoon and the USV, which was alongside during a maneuver.”
The spokesperson added that “some material damage to the bow of the vessel and the USV was noted; the sonar was not damaged.” Sea trials with the USV have since been “successfully completed,” and the M940 has returned to the shipbuilder’s Concarneau yard for “its final dry dock work.” During this phase of activity “necessary repairs following the incident are being carried out, extending its dock time slightly.”
As part of the Belgian-Dutch Replacement Mine CounterMeasure (rMCM) joint acquisition, Belgium Naval & Robotics, a consortium established by Naval Group and French supplier Exail, is under contract to supply the two nations with 12 vessels.