Dassault Aviation and its partners are fully participating in the comprehensive partnership offer made by the French Authorities to the Belgian Government, by presenting the Rafale for the replacement of the F-16s of the Air Component of the Belgian Defense.
The Rafale will enable Belgium to continue to fully play its role as a reliable member of the Atlantic Alliance, while contributing to the security of the European Union.
The Rafale, as a latest generation multi-mission combat aircraft, has clearly demonstrated its total NATO interoperability in combat operations. Its procurement and operational costs are well known and without risks; its design guarantees that Belgium will remain at the cutting edge of technology for the next 40/50 years.
“Already strongly established in Belgium since the end of the 1960s, with nine subsidiary companies, more than 3,000 Belgian employees in high tech jobs, a network of more than 800 referenced suppliers and over 800 million Euros of annual orders in Belgium, Dassault Aviation and its partners offer to the economic partners in the three Belgian regions, a medium-and-long-term cooperation strategy that will truly structure the future of the Belgian industry and that will enhance the European defense”, said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
This ambitious industrial aspect, an integral part of the broad Franco-Belgian interstate cooperation around the Rafale, will offer the Belgian industry a concrete and lasting return to a proactive economic partnership and a positive societal impact.
The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base.
The fully versatile Rafale is able to carry out all combat aviation missions: air defense, interception, ground support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.
The Rafale entered service with the French Navy in 2004 and with the French Air Force in 2006. It has proven its worth in combat in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria. In 2015, Egypt and Qatar have each ordered 24 Rafale. In 2016, India has ordered 36 Rafale. On 30 June 2017, 158 Rafale aircraft had been delivered.
With more than 10,000 military and civil aircraft delivered to more than 90 countries over the past century, Dassault Aviation can offer recognized know-how and experience in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, from the Rafale fighter to the Falcon range of high-end business jets, as well as military unmanned air systems.
In 2016, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €3.6 billion. The company has almost 12,000 employees.
