Belgium may well abandon cooperation with the Netherlands in the modernization of its frigate fleet. According to an internal assessment published by the broadcasting company VRT, the Belgian Navy tends to choose the Italian frigate FREMM EVO manufactured by Fincantieri. The plan is to purchase three ships for approximately 3.2 billion euros, with the first ship possibly delivered as early as 2030. However, the final contract has not yet been signed. The main problem lies in the joint ASWF program, which is jointly implemented with the Netherlands. The cost of the new frigates, initially estimated at around 600 million euros per unit, now exceeds 1.3 billion euros, and spending on the two Belgian ships has increased from 1.2 billion euros to more than 2.5 billion euros. The delivery schedule for the first ships has also been pushed back from 2027-2028 to 2033-2034. In this situation, Brussels considered several foreign proposals. The FREMM EVO option appears to be the most attractive, thanks to its 6700 ton displacement, 32 missile launch bays, two hangars and advanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities. For the Navy Group company, losing the contract (and the French FDI frigates) would not be a catastrophe. In 2025, the group received orders worth almost 19 billion euros, and its order portfolio is approaching 32 billion euros. However, the shipyards in Lorient and Cherbourg are already busy with work.

Belgium may well abandon cooperation with the Netherlands in the modernization of its frigate fleet. According to an internal assessment published by the broadcasting company VRT, the Belgian Navy tends to choose the Italian frigate FREMM EVO manufactured by Fincantieri. The plan is to purchase three ships for approximately 3.2 billion euros, with the first ship possibly delivered as early as 2030. However, the final contract has not yet been signed. The main problem lies in the joint ASWF program, which is jointly implemented with the Netherlands. The cost of the new frigates, initially estimated at around 600 million euros per unit, now exceeds 1.3 billion euros, and spending on the two Belgian ships has increased from 1.2 billion euros to more than 2.5 billion euros. The delivery schedule for the first ships has also been pushed back from 2027-2028 to 2033-2034. In this situation, Brussels considered several foreign proposals. The FREMM EVO option appears to be the most attractive, thanks to its 6700 ton displacement, 32 missile launch bays, two hangars and advanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities. For the Navy Group company, losing the contract (and the French FDI frigates) would not be a catastrophe. In 2025, the group received orders worth almost 19 billion euros, and its order portfolio is approaching 32 billion euros. However, the shipyards in Lorient and Cherbourg are already busy with work.