The Belgian Defence Ministry has once again seen a major procurement effort collapse after the Council of State annulled a public tender for two private jets intended for royal and ministerial transport. The ruling, issued in December 2025, overturns the contract for aircraft meant to carry the King and members of the federal government.
The contested contract for the leasing of two Falcon 7X jets (OO-FAE and OO-LUM) was awarded to Abelag, now known as Luxaviation. Several competing companies had filed an appeal against this award, and the Council of State sided with them.
This is not the first time Belgium’s attempts to secure executive transport aircraft have been derailed. In 2019, the federal government itself cancelled a similar private-jet leasing agreement following identified irregularities. The repetition of such failures underscores longstanding structural issues in the Defence Ministry’s acquisition processes, particularly for aircraft designated for the country’s highest authorities.
According to DHnet, the latest judicial annulment highlights persistent obstacles and recurring compliance concerns that continue to complicate Belgium’s efforts to modernise its high-level transport fleet.