"I do not see element that would not have allowed France to submit a detailed governmental proposal in accordance with what was requested in the RfGP," the Minister stated to the Chamber of Representatives' Defense Commission.

Referinf to internal and external legal advices requested by the Belgian Government, Vandeput added that "no price offer or reply was sent [by the french government] to the 164 questions the RfGP aske to the candidates and which should have constituted, in substance, the expected government proposal".

"We can only note that the French [government] don't want to bid as defined by the decision the Council of Ministers took on March 17," he continued.



On Sept. 7, France offered Belgium a broad government-to-government deal to purchase Dassault Aviation’s Rafale fighter jets.

“The Defence minister, Florence Parly, has offered the Belgian Defence minister to setup an in-depth partnership between our two countries in order to respond to the need expressed by the Belgian air force,” the ministry said.

If the Dassault Rafale officially stays in the race, it has now little chance of being selected in February 2018, as the Belgian Government should most certainly follow Vandeput.

With the Rafale almost out, only two contenders remain in this US$4.3 billion competition.