By ordering 761 MMP missiles, Belgium is once again placing its trust in France.

Belgium has announced the order for 761 MMP (or AKERON MP) anti-tank from MBDA France, to arm its 60 EBRC Jaguar armored reconnaissance vehicles, and replace the SPIKE missiles currently used. This is further proof of Brussels' attachment to the Franco-Belgian defense partnership, which has been expressed in recent years through several major orders from the French defense industry.

What have we heard about Belgium in France, after it preferred to acquire the F-35A rather than a European aircraft, to modernize its air forces.

Some people have as hard a tooth as they have a long memory on this subject, as was the case of Eric Trappier, the CEO of Dassault Aviation, when he was questioned about the possibility of Brussels joining the SCAF program.

The consequences of Belgium’s choice of the F-35A

According to the leader of the leaders of large French defense companies, there was, in fact, no question of giving work to Belgian companies within the framework of this program, even though the country had turned to the F American -35A to replace its F-16.

If memory is long, it is also particularly selective. Indeed, apart from the F-35A, Brussels has shown exemplary loyalty to European, and more specifically French, equipment.

Thus, barely had they announced the arbitration in favor of the F-35A against the Eurofighter (and not against the Rafale , which did not participate in the competition), than the Belgian authorities announced the signing of the CaMo program, to Motorized Capacity .

EBRC Jaguar, VBMR Griffon, Caesar NG: the Belgian Army equips itself with French equipment as part of the CaMo program

This consisted not only of the acquisition of 60 EBRC Jaguars and 382 VBMR Griffons from Nexter and the French Defense Industry, but also of a major standardization effort and cooperative commitment between the land armies. French and Belgian, as part of the SCORPION bubble.

A few months later, it was the turn of the French Naval Group and its Belgian partner ECA, now Exail, to win the competition against the Dutch DAMEN for the design and construction of 12 large mine warfare ships and their drones, 6 for the Belgian Navy and 6 for the Dutch Navy.

Together, these contracts represent an investment of €4 billion, roughly equivalent to that concerning the acquisition of the F-35A by Brussels, while other cooperation and contracts have since been added.

This is how in 2021, Belgium ordered nine CAESAR NG cannons, followed a few months later, in July 2022, by 19 additional units , still from Nexter, in order again to optimize interoperability with the Army earthen.

In April 2023, France turned to Belgium and the Netherlands, to also acquire six large mine warfare vessels designed by Naval Group and Exail for the French Navy , within a now European program taking up the three initial cast members of the Eridan-class Tripartite minehunters.

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