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Belgium will invest about $11.5 million annually in hypersonic and aerospace research under an expanded partnership with the Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI), Defence Minister Theo Francken announced on Monday.
Francken said on the US social media platform "X" that the institute, based in Sint-Genesius-Rode in the Flemish Brabant province, conducts research considered vital to innovation in missile and aerospace technologies.
Research partnership to expand
The Belgian Defence Ministry has worked with the VKI on hypersonic technology since 2024. The new cooperation will also cover aeroacoustics, cryogenic technology and liquid-metal flows, according to the minister.
“New insights in all these areas are necessary for designing the aircraft and missiles of the future,” Francken said.
The VKI is an international fluid-dynamics research centre with testing facilities Francken described as unmatched in Europe. NATO has provided financial support to the institute since its establishment because of the military importance of its research, he added.
Security around strategic research
Francken said the war in Ukraine had demonstrated how quickly military technology was evolving. He stressed that maintaining a lead in the field was essential to strengthening European armed forces and preserving peace.
Under the new arrangement, the Belgian Defence Ministry will become a structural partner of the VKI and provide €10 million in annual funding for more ambitious research.
The ministry will also strengthen security around the institute’s strategic knowledge, Francken said, citing interest from China and Russia in its research findings.
