Belgium to receive first US F-35A fighters jets in Autumn 2025 to modernize air force capabilities
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According to information published by Lockheed Martin Europe, Belgium is preparing to receive its first F‑35A Lightning II in autumn 2025, with eight jets currently engaged in pilot training at Luke Air Force Base in the United States. Production for the remainder of Belgium’s procurement will shift to European facilities, with final assembly and checkout taking place at Lockheed Martin’s Cameri site in Italy, while component manufacturing capacity is being expanded across Europe.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Belgium’s first F‑35A seen in primer during final assembly at Lockheed Martin ahead of delivery in 2025. (Picture source: Lockheed Martin)
As part of the F‑35A integration program, Belgium has launched a comprehensive modernization plan for its two main fighter bases, Florennes and Kleine‑Brogel. The €275 million infrastructure upgrade includes the construction of new hangars, hardened aircraft shelters, maintenance zones, and advanced simulator buildings. It also involves installing quick reaction alert (QRA) facilities, mission planning centers, and improved living quarters for operational readiness. These developments are essential to meet the logistical and operational requirements of fifth-generation fighter operations and align Belgium’s air force infrastructure with NATO standards for high-readiness deployments.
The modernization plan of belgian air bases coincides with the planned retirement of Belgium’s F‑16 fleet, many of which are earmarked for transfer to Ukraine once the F‑35s commence arrival. In line with NATO’s aim for member states to allocate 2 percent of GDP to defense and to secure its own high‑end airpower capability, Belgium is expected to increase its order by up to 21 additional F‑35As, potentially expanding its fleet to 55 aircraft.
Moreover, the initial contract to acquire the first batch of 34 F‑35A aircraft was signed in April 2020 following Belgium’s 2018 selection of Lockheed Martin’s proposal over those from Dassault and Eurofighter. The deal, approved by the U.S. State Department in January 2018 and officially announced in October 2018, was valued at approximately €4 billion, already €600 million below the original budget, and included support through 2030. This foundational agreement laid the basis for the current expansion and regional industrial integration.
The F‑35A Lightning II is a single-seat, single-engine fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin. It is designed to perform a diverse range of missions including air superiority, close air support, strategic strike, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). Powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 turbofan engine, the aircraft delivers up to 43,000 pounds of thrust and enables supersonic flight with a top speed of Mach 1.6. The F‑35A features an internal weapons bay that can carry up to 5,700 pounds of munitions in stealth configuration and is capable of external carriage for a total payload exceeding 18,000 pounds when stealth is not required.
It is equipped with the AN/APG-81 AESA radar, Distributed Aperture System (DAS), Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS), and advanced electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, all integrated through the aircraft’s fusion engine to provide pilots with comprehensive situational awareness. The F‑35A can operate with a combat radius of over 1,000 kilometers and features aerial refueling capabilities for extended range. Its stealth design minimizes radar cross-section, enabling it to penetrate contested environments undetected, while its sensor fusion and data-link systems allow seamless communication with other platforms and command structures.
Additionally, the aircraft is supported by the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), now transitioning to the more advanced Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN), ensuring efficient maintenance, mission planning, and fleet management. Its single-pilot cockpit incorporates a large panoramic touchscreen display and a helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) that provides real-time data overlay, including targeting and flight information, directly into the pilot’s line of sight. Collectively, these capabilities make the F‑35A the most technologically advanced multirole combat aircraft in service today, ideally suited for complex joint and coalition operations.
Belgium’s acquisition of the F‑35A is strategically significant as Europe intensifies its rearmament efforts in response to heightened regional security threats, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and increased Russian assertiveness along NATO’s eastern flank. The F‑35 strengthens Belgium’s role in NATO’s collective defense architecture and ensures full interoperability with allied air forces. At a time when European nations are investing heavily in next-generation capabilities to reinforce deterrence and air superiority, Belgium’s move ensures it remains a credible contributor to regional stability and enhances its strategic autonomy within a rapidly evolving global security environment.
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According to information published by Lockheed Martin Europe, Belgium is preparing to receive its first F‑35A Lightning II in autumn 2025, with eight jets currently engaged in pilot training at Luke Air Force Base in the United States. Production for the remainder of Belgium’s procurement will shift to European facilities, with final assembly and checkout taking place at Lockheed Martin’s Cameri site in Italy, while component manufacturing capacity is being expanded across Europe.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Belgium’s first F‑35A seen in primer during final assembly at Lockheed Martin ahead of delivery in 2025. (Picture source: Lockheed Martin)
As part of the F‑35A integration program, Belgium has launched a comprehensive modernization plan for its two main fighter bases, Florennes and Kleine‑Brogel. The €275 million infrastructure upgrade includes the construction of new hangars, hardened aircraft shelters, maintenance zones, and advanced simulator buildings. It also involves installing quick reaction alert (QRA) facilities, mission planning centers, and improved living quarters for operational readiness. These developments are essential to meet the logistical and operational requirements of fifth-generation fighter operations and align Belgium’s air force infrastructure with NATO standards for high-readiness deployments.
The modernization plan of belgian air bases coincides with the planned retirement of Belgium’s F‑16 fleet, many of which are earmarked for transfer to Ukraine once the F‑35s commence arrival. In line with NATO’s aim for member states to allocate 2 percent of GDP to defense and to secure its own high‑end airpower capability, Belgium is expected to increase its order by up to 21 additional F‑35As, potentially expanding its fleet to 55 aircraft.
Moreover, the initial contract to acquire the first batch of 34 F‑35A aircraft was signed in April 2020 following Belgium’s 2018 selection of Lockheed Martin’s proposal over those from Dassault and Eurofighter. The deal, approved by the U.S. State Department in January 2018 and officially announced in October 2018, was valued at approximately €4 billion, already €600 million below the original budget, and included support through 2030. This foundational agreement laid the basis for the current expansion and regional industrial integration.
The F‑35A Lightning II is a single-seat, single-engine fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin. It is designed to perform a diverse range of missions including air superiority, close air support, strategic strike, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). Powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 turbofan engine, the aircraft delivers up to 43,000 pounds of thrust and enables supersonic flight with a top speed of Mach 1.6. The F‑35A features an internal weapons bay that can carry up to 5,700 pounds of munitions in stealth configuration and is capable of external carriage for a total payload exceeding 18,000 pounds when stealth is not required.
It is equipped with the AN/APG-81 AESA radar, Distributed Aperture System (DAS), Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS), and advanced electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, all integrated through the aircraft’s fusion engine to provide pilots with comprehensive situational awareness. The F‑35A can operate with a combat radius of over 1,000 kilometers and features aerial refueling capabilities for extended range. Its stealth design minimizes radar cross-section, enabling it to penetrate contested environments undetected, while its sensor fusion and data-link systems allow seamless communication with other platforms and command structures.
Additionally, the aircraft is supported by the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), now transitioning to the more advanced Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN), ensuring efficient maintenance, mission planning, and fleet management. Its single-pilot cockpit incorporates a large panoramic touchscreen display and a helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) that provides real-time data overlay, including targeting and flight information, directly into the pilot’s line of sight. Collectively, these capabilities make the F‑35A the most technologically advanced multirole combat aircraft in service today, ideally suited for complex joint and coalition operations.
Belgium’s acquisition of the F‑35A is strategically significant as Europe intensifies its rearmament efforts in response to heightened regional security threats, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and increased Russian assertiveness along NATO’s eastern flank. The F‑35 strengthens Belgium’s role in NATO’s collective defense architecture and ensures full interoperability with allied air forces. At a time when European nations are investing heavily in next-generation capabilities to reinforce deterrence and air superiority, Belgium’s move ensures it remains a credible contributor to regional stability and enhances its strategic autonomy within a rapidly evolving global security environment.
