The Francophone public broadcaster RTBF says the Israeli Airforce used spare parts produced in Wallonia in fighter jets deployed on bombing missions over Southern Lebanon and Gaza. The parts are engine parts produced by Safran Aero Boosters in Herstal, near Liège. They were used in F-15 fighter jets. This is despite rules being in place that state that Belgian exports should not strengthen the Israeli military.
“Spare parts produced in Wallonia used in Israeli fighter jets involved in the aerial bombardment of Gaza”, says RTBF
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Safran Aero Boosters in Herstal, near Liège is specialised in the production of aircraft engine parts. The Walloon regional authority owns a one-third share in the company. The remaining two-thirds is owned by the French company Safran. Around 1,400 people work at the Herstal site.
Safran Aero Boosters is open about its partnership with the US aerospace company General Electric Aerospace. In recent years, Safran Aero Boosters wrote on its website that it was collaborating on the F110, the type of engine used in amongst other planes the F-15.
This is the plane that has been used by the Israeli military for bombing missions over Gaza and southern Lebanon. The F-15 was also used in the September bombing that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Safran Aero Boosters has responded to RTBF’s report in writing. The company says that it has merely fulfilled its obligation towards its US partner for the supply of parts for the F110 engine. Safran Aero Boosters also stresses that military activities account for only 5% the company’s production.
Have any rules been broken?
In Belgium, rules on export licences are determined at a regional level. In the case of Safran Aero Boosters it is up to the Walloon regional authority to issue export licences. In 2009 Belgium’s three regions jointly agreed that “no exports will be approved that involve strengthening the military capacity of the Israeli armed forces”.
However, in practice there is a trade in arms with Israel. The Belgian army has bought ammunition from an Israeli arms company since October 2023. Flemish defence companies also have products repaired or assembled in Israel. However, these are then returned or are transported on to other countries.
RTBF's report focuses on Walloon trade relations with Israel. The case cited above does not involve a Belgian company supplying the Israeli Army directly, but rather cooperation with a US company, GE Aerospace, that that supplies Israel. Since there is no question of direct supply, the question is whether Safran Aero Boosters violated the rules around the export of military goods.