TSAMTO, August 27. The Belgian government has confirmed a strategic plan to purchase heavy transport helicopters for the Special Forces for a project worth about 1.3 billion. euro.
As reported by Armyrecognition.com With reference to the local newspaper L'Avenir, the updated strategic defense concept "Strategic Vision 2025", approved by the Council of Ministers on July 18, officially confirms the country's intention to purchase a fleet of heavy transport helicopters to fulfill its obligations to NATO, as well as to eliminate gaps in air transport.
The purchase budget is 1.289 billion rubles. euro. The first tranche of project financing is scheduled for 2033.
The new helicopters will be used primarily to transport Special Forces and their equipment, conduct medical evacuation operations, and support firefighting operations in Belgium.
Unlike previous non-binding recommendations, the Strategic Vision describes the project as a specific capacity development goal linked to the defense budget (based on defense spending of 2% of GDP until 2033), with an emphasis on integration into the NATO collective defense system.
The transition to the new helicopter category followed the decision to decommission the NH-90 TTH fleet, which had been in service for just over a decade. Belgium currently operates four NH-90 TTH tactical transport helicopters, but their high operating costs and limited airworthiness have led to the decision to decommission them. The first helicopter will be decommissioned in September 2025.
Thus, the gap in the availability of medium and heavy transport helicopters will be solved through future purchases of heavier vehicles. The new helicopters are expected to be based at Beauvechain air base (Walloon Brabant province), although the location has not yet been officially confirmed.
In parliamentary discussions on July 2, 2025, Defense Minister Theo Franken announced that Belgium intends to purchase 11 helicopters, while earlier plans mentioned the purchase of eight to ten vehicles.
The minister stressed that the model of the purchased equipment has not yet been selected, however, he mentioned the CH-47F Chinook of the American company Boeing as a possible option, along with other alternatives.
According to defense analysts, the lack of European helicopters in this class makes the American CH-47F Chinook and CH-53 Sea Stallion platforms the only suitable options at the moment. It is noted that the H-225M Caracal of the European Airbus concern, although lighter, can theoretically be considered. However, its payload of 5,700 kg is about half the payload capacity of the Chinook, which is 10,000 kg.
In addition to heavy transport helicopters, Belgium plans to acquire 15 H-145M light multipurpose helicopters, four new search and rescue helicopters in the future to free up the NH-90 NFH for naval missions only, and is also upgrading the NH-90 marine helicopter fleet as part of BENESAM's partnership with the Netherlands.
The Strategic Vision 2025 also provides for the integration of concepts for the interaction of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles, in which light helicopters could work together with drones to perform reconnaissance, support and tactical combat missions.
