Belgian Armed Force 2030: the alternate plan

[Spey_Phantom]

ok, with the recent announcement of a modernisation plan for the armed forces of Belgium (starting from 2019 onwards),
i was thinking how it would look from 2030, from a personal What If Standpoint, taking into account possible budget limitations.

Aircraft:

40 new manned aircraft seems a bit steep, especially for a small country as Belgium, i would reduce this to 36 manned aircraft and add about 10 UCAV's (Dassault/SAAB NeuRon or Northrop X-47). usually im against anything unmanned, but looking into the future, i will have to get over it and accept its gonna happen eventually.
as for the manned fighters, i would recommend a lower cost aircraft instead of the F-35A, you have to pay for everything else somehow.
platforms i would suggest are the F/A-18E/F and Rafale F3R, that is if the nuclear requirement still exists, personally i would go with the F/A-18 Advance Super Hornet (Block III) just to have a minimum day 1 fighting capability.
i would also add 6 MQ-9B Reapers to the mix (replacement for B-Hunter UAV's) as these can also provide a certain level of CAS to troops on the ground. the desision might become real life and its understandable. as for the Alpha Jet advanced trainers, i would not replace these and train Belgian pilots in the French Air Force on a yet to be determined platform.

the 7 A400M remains unchanged, but i  would buy 2 tanker aircraft, preferably the KC-767, converted from 2 secondhand ex-civil 767-200's.
as for the NH90's, i would add 2 more TTH and one more NFH version to the fleets.
attack helicopters were also noted in the plan, but instead of the AH-64E, i would suggest the Airbus Helicopters H665 Tiger HAD, just to have commonality with the NH90 and improve cooperation with France and Germany. as for numbers im thinking 8 or 10.
as for the A109, i would replace these from 2020 with a smaller but cheaper to operate helicopter, like the H135M (EC635) or UH-72 Lakota, 12 would be enough.

so, Order of Battle for the Belgian Air Force would look as followed:

1st Wing, Beauvechain AB

-5 Sqn, training, DISBANDED
-9 Sqn, training, 15 x Sf.260D/M+ (to be replaced by an unknown platform by 2030)
-15 Sqn, light utility helicopters, 12 x H135M
-17 Sqn, Attack helicopters, 8 x Tiger HAD.
-18 Sqn, medium transport helicopters, 6 x NH90-MTH
-40 Sqn, Anti Submarine & Naval security, 5 x NH90-NFH (based at Koksijde)


2 Wing, Florennes AB

-1 Sqn, Multirole UCAV, 10 x Dassault Neuron
-80 Sqn, UAV, 6 x RQ-9B Reaper (+2 ground stations)
-350 Sqn, Multirole Fighters, 10 x F/A-18E


10 Wing, Kleine Brogel AB

-31 Sqn, Multirole Fighters, 10 x F/A-18E
-349 Sqn, Multirole Fighters, 10 x F/A-18E
-OCU Sqn, Conversion training, 6 x F/A-18F


15 Wing, Melsbroek AB / Brussels Airport
-20 Sqn, Tactical Transport, 7 x A400M
-21 Sqn, Liaison & transport, 2 x ERJ-135 + 2 x ERJ-145 + 1 Airbus A321 (purchased)
-22 Sqn, Transport & Refueling, 2 x KC-767 (converted civilian 767-200)


Navy Ships:

with 3 frigates announced, i would buy these in cooperation with The Netherlands, a concept that has proven succesfull in the past.
the Dutch Future Surface Combattant would fit the bill nicely, although i would also look into the British Type 26.
new minehunters are a good idea, but i cannot see a possible platform candidate yet.
the replacement of the A960 godetia, a logistical support ship in service since the 1960's, im would buy a secondhand Joint Logistic Support Ship from the Dutch, the RNLN has one of those ships on sale due to surplus, so i think there is a good idea in that.


Army:

i really dont have a full vission on what the army's ground forces need, but additional armoured vehicles and light utility vehicles (Iveco LMV, Dingo II, Piranha IIIC,...) would be a step in the right direction.