Belgium's Defence Minister has stated that a joint programme to replace some of the Belgian Navy's ageing warships is moving "completely in the wrong direction" due to delays and costs far exceeding initial estimates.
Speaking to Belgian local media, Defence Minister Theo Francken said that discussions with the Dutch Government are underway regarding the joint anti-submarine warfare frigate (ASWF) programme led by Dutch shipbuilder Damen.
The ASWF programme calls for the delivery of four ships with the Belgian and Dutch navies each receiving two examples. These ships are intended to replace the 1980s-designed Karel Doorman-class frigates currently in service with both navies.
Mr Francken said that while discussions with the Dutch Government are ongoing, Belgium will launch a request for information addressed to naval shipbuilders in other European countries that could potentially satisfy the requirements of the ASWF programme.
Earlier this month, Mr Francken told members of Belgium's lower house that the programme is beset with technical and design-related problems.
"The margins of the original hull design ultimately proved insufficient, which led to a design crisis," the minister said in a meeting with the lower house's national defence committee on July 1. "In...2026, a new, larger design was proposed, which, however, entails additional costs and further delays.
"An earlier schedule aimed for commissioning around 2031. However, following a previous extension, recent signals point to further delays of two to three years. The legal and contractual leverage available to Belgium to avoid additional costs being unilaterally passed on is the refusal to accept contractual adjustments for cost increases that were not contractually foreseen."
Mr Francken added that the government needs to decide in the coming weeks whether the joint frigate programme with the Netherlands can still proceed or whether alternatives should be considered.
"In summary, the situation today remains very uncertain," the minister remarked. "There is still no clarity regarding the final schedule. The budgetary impact is still subject to negotiations, and alternative solutions are being explored but have not yet been finalised."