 | |
| SABCA | |
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1920; 105 years ago (1920) |
| Headquarters | Brussels, |
| Products | Aircraft |
| Owners | Blueberry |
Number of employees | 993 (2020)[1] |
| Website | sabca.be |
SABCA (French:Sociétés Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques,lit. 'Belgian Public Limited Company of Aeronautical Construction') is aBelgianaerospace company. Its main sectors of activity arecivil aviation,space anddefence.
SABCA was established during 1920. Presently, it is owned by the Belgian groupOrizio,[2] itself owned by the Société Fédérale de Participations et d'Investissement (SFPIM) (a Belgian federal holding) and Sabena Aerospace.[3]
During 1920, SABCA was founded with the purpose of locally designing and building aircraft to satisfyBelgium's emerging aviation requirements.[1] Its first manufacturing site was adjacent toHaren Airport, in the suburbs ofBrussels. During theInterwar period, the company produced a number of in-house designs, as well as engaging in the manufacture of both civil and military aircraft.[1] Throughout its existence, SABCA has been a prolific user ofproduction licenses, which have authorised the firm to build other manufacturers' aircraft. During 1926, the company constructed a total 15Airco DH.4light bombers.[4]
While its operations were disrupted by theGerman occupation of Belgium during theSecond World War, SABCA resumed operations shortly following theend of the conflict.[1] In 1955, a new manufacturing plant was opened atCharleroi Airport. Around this same period, SABCA became involved in earlyEuropean space programmes; the firm would be involved in the production ofSpacelab as well as both theAriane andVegaexpendable launch systems.[1] SABCA also cooperated with the Dutch manufacturerFokker in the manufacture of itsF27 Friendship and50 short-haulairliners. Other civil programmes the firm was involved with include producing elements of theDassault Mercure andVFW-Fokker 614 airliners.[1]
Throughout thepostwar era, the company was involved in the manufacturing of large numbers of licensed aircraft as well as associated upgrade programmes; such aircraft included theHawker Hunter, theRepublic F-84 Thunderjet, theLockheed F-104G Starfighter, theDassault Mirage 5, and theAgustaWestland AW109 helicopter.[1] During the 1970s and 1980s, SABCA was responsible for operating one of the two European production lines for theGeneral Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon; a total of 164 aircraft would be manufactured at itsGosselies facility. The European co-production initiative was officially launched on 1 July 1977; under this arrangement,Fokker-produced components were delivered toGeneral Dynamics'Fort Worth facility for fuselage assembly, which were then shipped back to Europe for final assembly of the aircraft at the SABCA's facility; deliveries to theBelgian Air Force started in January 1979. During the following year, SABCA commenced deliveries to theRoyal Norwegian Air Force.[5][6]
During 1989, SABCA's involvement in the civil aviation sector received a significant boost via the first risk-sharing contract with the multinational aerospace conglomerateAirbus.[1] It has since been a participant in all Airbus programmes, including theA380, theA400M Atlas, and theA350 XWB. SABCA also designs and manufactures subassemblies on behalf of other manufacturers, includingDassault Aviation andGulfstream Aerospace.[1] During 1992, demand forcomposite components had grown to the point where a dedicatedsubsidiary,SABCA Limburg, was established to focus specifically on this activity.[1]
SABCA has operations in two locations:
Before the merge with Sabena Engineering, SABCA also operated inCharleroi:military aircraft andhelicopter maintenance, technical and logistic support to the customers, opened in 1955.[1]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
