SABCA
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1920 |
| Headquarters | Brussels , Belgium |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Civil aviation, space exploration, defense aerospace products and services |
| Owner | Orizio (managed by Société Fédérale de Participations et d'Investissement) |
SABCA () is a Belgian aerospace enterprise engaged in civil aviation, space exploration, and defense industries.
Founded in 1920, SABCA is presently under the ownership of the Belgian conglomerate Orizio, which itself is managed by the Société Fédérale de Participations et d'Investissement (SFPIM) along with Sabena Aerospace.
History
Created to fulfill Belgium's aviation requirements, SABCA initially operated from a facility situated near Haren Airport in Brussels. Throughout the interwar years, the company manufactured both proprietary and licensed civil and military aircraft, including producing 15 Airco DH.4 light bombers in 1926.
Production was halted during the German occupation in World War II but recommenced once the war ended. In 1955, SABCA inaugurated a new manufacturing site at Brussels South Charleroi Airport. The company was an early contributor to European space initiatives, taking part in programs such as Spacelab, Ariane, and Vega launch vehicles. Additionally, SABCA collaborated with Dutch aircraft maker Fokker on models like the F27 Friendship and Fokker 50 airliners and supplied parts for the Dassault Mercure and VFW-Fokker 614 aircraft.
Following World War II, SABCA produced licensed aircraft and upgrades including models such as the Hawker Hunter, Republic F-84 Thunderjet, Lockheed F-104G Starfighter, Dassault Mirage 5, and the AgustaWestland AW109 helicopter. During the 1970s and 1980s, SABCA operated one of only two European assembly lines for the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, manufacturing 164 units at its Gosselies plant. This European collaboration involved exchanging components with Fokker and final assembly within Belgium; deliveries commenced to the Belgian Air Force in 1979 and to Norway in 1980.
In 1989, SABCA obtained its inaugural risk-sharing contract with aerospace giant Airbus, significantly enhancing its role in commercial aviation. Since then, it has been involved in every Airbus program, including the Airbus A380, A400M Atlas, and A350 XWB. The company also designs and produces subassemblies for other manufacturers like Dassault Aviation and Gulfstream Aerospace. In response to increasing demand for composite materials, SABCA established SABCA Limburg in 1992 as a dedicated subsidiary for composites manufacturing.
Products
- SABCA-Julien SJ 1 - Monoplane
- Gambier-SABCA
- SABCA Castar - Monoplane from 1923, also referred to as Poncelet Castar
- SABCA Camgul - Single-engine biplane from 1925
- Airco DH.4 - Fifteen units produced in 1926
- SABCA F.VII - Licensed production of Fokker F.VII
- SABCA S.2 - Single-engine airliner from 1926
- SABCA S.3 - Proposed trimotor monoplane transport
- SABCA S.4 - Planned single-engine sesquiplane fighter
- SABCA S.11 - Trimotor airliner introduced in 1931
- SABCA S.XII - Trimotor feederliner from 1931 (also known as S.12)
- SABCA S.13 - Proposed military observation aircraft
- SABCA S.14 - Designed in 1931 as parasol-wing reconnaissance aircraft
- SABCA S.20 - Cabin tourer with elliptical wings from 1935
- SABCA S.30 - Light parasol-wing aircraft from 1936
- SABCA S.40 - Two-seat trainer introduced in 1939
- SABCA S.42 - Enlarged variant of S.40; two-seat fighter-trainer planned in 1938
- SABCA S.45 - Intended licensed production of Caproni Ca.135
- SABCA S.46 - Planned licensed version of Caproni Ca.310
- SABCA S.47 - Licensed production of Caproni Ca.335
- SABCA S.48 - Planned licensed Caproni Ca.312; project cancelled due to Belgium’s fall
- SABCA S.60 - Proposed jet trainer that was never built
- SABCA S.73 - Licensed production of Savoia-Marchetti S.73
Locations
SABCA conducts its activities across two principal locations:
- Brussels (Haren Airport) – serving as the corporate headquarters and main operational hub
- Limburg – home to the subsidiary specializing in advanced composite parts production since 1989
In the past, SABCA operated a site at Charleroi (Brussels South Charleroi Airport) dedicated to maintenance, technical assistance, and logistical support for military aircraft and helicopters, prior to its integration with Sabena Engineering.