Overview
Société Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques was founded in 1920 to build aircraft for the early Belgian aviation industry, with its original plant at Haren airport near Brussels. After producing several of its own designs before World War II, the company became a major industrial partner on Belgian military aircraft programs including the F-84, F-104G, Mirage 5, F-16, and Agusta A109 helicopter. A second plant opened at Charleroi airport in 1955.
From the 1970s onward SABCA diversified into space, designing and manufacturing structural elements and thrust vector actuators for the European Spacelab, Ariane, and Vega launchers. The company today operates across three divisions covering aerostructures, space, and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for civil and military aircraft.
In 2020 Dassault Belgique Aviation sold its 96.85% stake in SABCA to a Belgian consortium combining Sabena Aerospace and the federal holding company SFPI-FPIM. The shares were placed in a holding called Blueberry, later renamed Orizio, which positions SABCA inside a broader Belgian aerospace group with more than 1,200 employees across Belgium and abroad.
Key People
Funding history
- 2020: Acquisition of 96.85% of SABCA by Sabena Aerospace and SFPI-FPIM from Dassault Belgique Aviation for approximately EUR 74.6M
Media & appearances
- VirtualYouTubeVirtual #23: Hoe technologie en innovatie het slagveld verandert en onderwaterdrones in OostendeMentioned as part of Belgium's classic aerospace defense arsenal.
- VirtualYouTubeVirtual #23: Hoe technologie het slagveld verandert: razendsnelle innovatie in Oekraïne en onderw...Cited as one of the classic Belgian aerospace/defense companies.
In the news
- In a niche industry facing talent shortages, training is part of the solution. At SABCA, we’re creating opportunities to develop the skills we need, opening doors to new talent and building the next generation of aerospace professionals. In the video below, discover how our training-to-employment programmes are turning this ambition into reality.
- In a niche industry facing talent shortages, training is part of the solution. At SABCA, we’re creating opportunities to develop the skills we need, opening doors to new talent and building the next generation of aerospace professionals. In the video below, discover how our training-to-employment programmes are turning this ambition into reality.
- Les métiers en pénurie dans un marché de niche… ou comment faire preuve de créativité pour attirer les talents que l’on recherche ! Dans le secteur aéronautique, certains métiers sont particulièrement difficiles à pourvoir. Face à ces défis, une conviction nous anime à la SABCA : plutôt que de chercher uniquement des talents déjà formés, créons les opportunités de les former et de les faire grandir. C’est dans cette optique que nous avons lancé, en 2026, deux parcours de formation-emploi en collaboration avec Technicity.brussels,
- This Pink October, SABCA is proud to support Think Pink and help raise awareness of breast cancer. Beyond the symbol, this is a cause that is close to our hearts: supporting prevention, encouraging early detection, and showing our solidarity with everyone affected by the disease. Because every action matters, because awareness can save lives, and because caring for one another is also part of our values. A big thank you to all our teams for getting involved and adding a touch of pink in support of this important cause this week !
- From simulation to real-world application: the next steps for #Uspace in Tartu, Estonia! How should a railway inspection drone respond when an emergency delivery needs priority? What happens when a temporary airspace restriction appears, or a flight crosses a U-space boundary? These were some of the practical questions explored through simulation-based validation exercises in #Tartu as part of the SAFIR-Ready project. 🤝Reflecting on its work within SAFIR-Ready, the Estonian Aviation Academy (EAVA) is looking back on its
- The DLR-Institut für Flugführung is building on the capabilities investigated in SAFIR-Ready and applying them to crisis relief operations within the DLR project #RESITEK (Resilient Technologies for Civil Protection). 🚁 This June, 16 DLR institutes and emergency response organisations came together for a large-scale demonstration in Germany’s Ahr Valley. Drones, satellite services, vehicles and robotic systems provided data for a common operational picture, supporting faster situational awareness, search and rescue, and coordinated
- What does it take to build hardware that goes to space? As we celebrate World Space Week, we're proud to highlight the role SABCA Technologies plays in Europe's most ambitious space programs. In today's video, Tillo Vanthuyne, Business Unit Director at SABCA Technologies, shares more about the space projects we're involved in, the challenges we tackle every day, and how our teams contribute to missions that push the boundaries of innovation. It's also a great opportunity to discover why a career in the space industry is so
- In SAFIR-Ready, the DLR-Institut für Flugführung leads the reporting on validation activities, including real flight trials and simulations across Europe. An impressive number of validation activities have been carried out by the SAFIR-Ready project team, supporting the project’s objectives to enable and improve ad-hoc drone operations in public good scenarios. To that aim, DLR prepared a detailed airspace environment of #Braunschweig and locations relevant to such operations to assess high-density scenarios.
Alumni 3 went on to found or lead
Pascal SulsTest Engineer→Co-Founder - Mechatronics Specialist - Project Manager at MachineSight
Peter ReynaertDirector of Quality→Director and Co-founder at AeroVantis
Thibauld JongenBoard Member→Co-Founder at Common Sense Robotics
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