Looks like Boeing gives up in Belgium.
https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/d...tion-pour-le-remplacement-des-f-16?id=9584115
Google translate :
"Boeing withdraws from competition to replace Belgian F-16
US defense and aeronautics group Boeing, the manufacturer of the F / A-18 E / F Super Hornet fighter-bomber, announced on Wednesday that it would not compete in the Belgian government's competition for a new Succeeding the aging F-16 over the next decade, by denouncing biased rules of the game.
" Boeing informed the Belgian government that it would not participate in the bidders' conference today (Wednesday) and that it would not respond to the call for tenders for a new fighter " (the " Request for governmental Proposal ", RfGP), sent last month by the Ministry of Defense to five state agencies - two American and three European - each representing a type of aircraft, he said in a statement to the Belga agency.
" We regret that after considering the request we did not see the opportunity to compete with a level playing field with the Super Hornet F / A-18, " the group added, describing the aircraft as " extremely capable "For its cost effectiveness.
" This decision allows Boeing to focus its efforts and resources on supporting our customers around the world, obtaining new orders and investing in the technology and systems required to face today's threats, Hui and tomorrow. "When there is a full and open competition, we look forward to bringing The Boeing Company to the full extent and breadth of our offer ," said Boeing's vice president of sales In the area of strategy, defense, space and security (BDS), Gene Cunningham, quoted in the statement.
Four competitors remain in the running
Boeing's decision de facto limits the number of possible competitors for this market by an initial amount of EUR 3.573 billion to 34 for the purchase of 34 new combat aircraft, although the total cost over the Life of the future hunter - estimated at 40 years - and the end of life of the aging F-16 amounts to fifteen billion euros.
On March 17, the government approved a tender - a 247-page document - to find a successor to the F-16 fighter bombers. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense sent five RGGP agencies, three European and two American, to respond by September 7 to a long and complex questionnaire and to return their latest proposals for the 14 February 2018.
This call for tenders was sent to the state agencies representing the five candidate aircraft: the US Navy Program Manager Air 265 for the Boeing F / A-18 E / F Super Hornet, the Joint Program Office (JPO) for the F -35 Lightning II by Lockheed Martin, the French Armament Directorate (DGA, under the French Ministry of Defense), the Dassault Rafale F3R, the Swedish Defense Material Administration (FMV) for the Saab JAS-39 E Gripen And the British Ministry of Defense (MoD) for the Eurofighter Typhoon.
The Michel government has made the replacement of the current 54 F-16s - the oldest of which entered service in the early 1980s - a priority in its defense policy, with a contract signature expected by early 2019."
