Sweden Pulls Out of Belgian Fighter Deal

Sweden Declines Belgian RFGP for New Fighter Procurement

(Source: Swedish Defence Matériel Agency, FMV; issued July 2017)

After Boeing earlier this year, Saab has now pulled out of the competition to replace the Belgian air force’s F-16 fighters. Government agencies representing the three remaining bidders must submit their offers by Sept. 8. (FAB photo)

Belgium intends to procure a new fighter aircraft system. The Belgian procurement agency the ACCaP has started the procurement process and has requested price information.

The procurement is a so-called government-to-government or G2G. A procurement document has been sent out from the ACCaP. The Swedish authority responsible for the response from Sweden is the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration FMV.

Gripen is a highly advanced and cost-effective fighter aircraft system that fully meets the operational requirements in the Belgian request for proposal.

In their Request for Government Proposal, Belgium is also seeking extensive operational support from the delivering nation. This would require a Swedish foreign policy and political mandate that does not exist today. Therefore, Sweden and the FMV choose not to submit an answer to the Belgian request.

The procurement is ongoing and FMV will not comment further.

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The Swedish Government Decides Not to Participate In the Belgian Competition for the Replacement of the F-16 Air Combat Capability

(Source: Belgian Ministry of Defence; issued July 10, 2017)

FMV, the government agency presenting the Swedish government’s proposal of the SAAB Gripen E weapon system, announced during a meeting with the Air Combat Capability Program (F-16) ACCAP) that it will not submit an offer under this program. FMV has just publicly confirmed this decision on its website.

The Belgian Defense takes note of this decision and thanks FMV for its open and constructive cooperation during the last three years.

At present, there are still three candidates in the running for a state-to-state partnership:

-- France represented by the Directorate General of Armaments offering the Rafale weapon system;
-- The United States represented by the F-35 Joint Program Office offering the F-35A weapon system; and
-- The United Kingdom represented by the Ministry of Defense offering the Eurofighter weapon system.

Defense confirms that the current schedule remains unchanged. This schedule provides that a reasoned recommendation will be presented to the Belgian Government by mid-2018.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Boeing, the fifth original bidder with the F-18E/F Super Hornet, withdrew earlier this year.
The deadline for submitting final offers is September 8.)

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