US approves aircraft sale to Belgium

The US state department said on Friday it had approved the sale of 34 Lockheed Martin F35 aircraft to Belgium for $6.53bn, a potential new customer for the No 1 US defence contractor’s most important product. The proposed sale would include 34 conventional takeoff F-35s as well as 38 Pratt & Whitney F135 engines and other equipment for the radarevading high-tech fighter, the Pentagon said.