A European army with American weapons?

World
Europe

02:12

Last month, Belgium had a decision to make: should the country that hosts the main institutions of the European Union hold true to its latest vision for European security and buy the European-made Eurofighter Typhoon? Or should it do what Europe has often done in the past and instead select the latest American-made military hardware, in this case, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet?

Belgium chose the F-35. Why? “Political constraints” lamented French President Emmanuel Macron, who believes Brussels’ decision “goes against European interests.” Macron is perhaps Europe’s most enthusiastic advocate of a European army, and he wants to see it built with European arms.

Belgium has decided to purchase nearly three dozen F-35 fighter jets to replace its older F-16s. /VCG Photo

But despite some criticism over the cost of the F-35 program, analysts say it's the only aircraft available that's invisible to Russian radar, and the only one capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons. Whatever the “political constraints” may have been, there was also a strong case to say, no European company could compete.

It leaves Belgium relying on the service and maintenance of an American firm for decades, which seems rather out of sync with the idea of Europe fending for itself as its leaders are promising to do more of.

The U.S. foreign policy establishment was opposed to the whole idea of a European army along before Donald Trump came along. But if it is to happen as is the will of Macron and now German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Belgian case begs a question: will it be a European army built with American weapons?