Why Belgium’s first F-35 stealth fighter jets mark the start of a new era for the country
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Belgium’s first three F-35A Lightning II multirole fighter jets arrived at Florennes Air Base on October 13, 2025, following a direct ferry flight from the United States. The country has ordered 34 F-35s, with a projected total of 45, to replace F-16 aircraft and strengthen NATO air integration.
Belgium officially began its F-35A operational phase on October 13, 2025, when three aircraft arrived at Florennes Air Base after completing a transatlantic transfer from the United States. A fourth jet remains temporarily stationed at Lajes Air Base in the Azores for standard airworthiness checks before continuing to Belgium. The initial arrivals follow completion of pilot and maintainer training in the U.S. and coincide with the opening of dedicated F-35 facilities at Florennes, including secure hangars, flight simulators, and hardened shelters.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Belgium’s decision to select the F-35 followed a competitive evaluation against predefined criteria, including capability fit, through-life support, interoperability with NATO partners, and cost profiles, as this aircraft best satisfied the specified requirements. (Picture source: Belgian Air Force)
Belgium’s acquisition of the F-35A followed a structured and competitive evaluation process launched to replace the aging F-16AM/BM fleet, which has been in service since 1979. The selection concluded that the F-35A provided the best overall balance of cost, capability, and long-term operational suitability according to the specific criteria established by the Belgian Ministry of Defence. This outcome was based on measurable factors including life-cycle cost, interoperability within NATO, industrial return, and mission effectiveness. While some political actors expressed a preference for European alternatives, the final evaluation determined that the F-35A best met the technical and operational requirements defined in the competition. Belgium initially ordered 34 aircraft, later expanded in principle to 45 to align with NATO capability targets. Eight aircraft are currently assigned to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where Belgian pilots undergo conversion training before returning to Florennes to stand up the 350th Fighter Squadron.
Florennes Air Base, located in Wallonia, has been designated as the first operational base for the Belgian F-35 fleet, while Kleine-Brogel in Limburg will follow as the second operating location later in the decade. Both sites are undergoing major infrastructure upgrades to support fifth-generation security and maintenance standards, including hangars with restricted access, protected avionics bays, and next-generation flight simulators compatible with the TR-3 configuration. The initial Belgian detachment at Florennes will focus on pilot conversion, maintenance procedures, and integration into NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre network. The transition period from F-16 to F-35A will last several years to ensure uninterrupted air policing, nuclear sharing, and coalition participation missions. The government’s Defense Planning 2030 allocates funding to synchronize deliveries, training, and munitions procurement while maintaining F-16 readiness until the F-35 fleet reaches full maturity.
Training and sustainment are central to the program’s implementation. Belgian pilots began instruction on F-35A aircraft at Luke Air Force Base in 2023, where they trained alongside U.S. and other partner nation personnel under a common syllabus. Maintainers also completed specialized courses at Eglin Air Force Base and Cameri, Italy, to learn the aircraft’s advanced support procedures. Upon returning to Belgium, the first cadre of pilots and technicians formed the foundation of the new F-35 operational unit. The 1st Fighter Squadron, which previously flew the F-16, is now transitioning to the F-35A, while the 349th Squadron will follow once the second operational base is completed. These two squadrons will ultimately share 45 aircraft and operate in a rotational posture to support NATO’s Baltic Air Policing missions, nuclear sharing tasks, and joint operations with allied air forces.
The F-35A replaces the F-16 in all mission categories, bringing an integrated architecture centered on stealth, multi-sensor fusion, and advanced computing capabilities. Unlike the F-16’s federated avionics, where the pilot interprets data from multiple discrete systems, the F-35’s distributed aperture, radar, and electronic warfare sensors fuse data automatically into a single tactical display. This reduces pilot workload and provides earlier detection, identification, and engagement capability against modern air and surface threats. The F-35A’s radar cross-section reduction enables flight profiles that lower detection probability, improving survivability in dense radar environments. The aircraft’s mission computer continuously updates threat libraries and sensor correlations, giving pilots near-instantaneous situational awareness. These features enable Belgium to maintain operational parity with other NATO air forces already fielding the F-35, including the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Italy.
Belgium’s F-35As are delivered with the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) hardware and software suite, which expands computing power, display performance, and onboard memory to support the future Block 4 upgrade package. TR-3 enhances the processing speed of the core mission computer, allowing for improved sensor data fusion, new radar modes, and additional weapons integration. While the upgrade caused minor schedule adjustments, Belgian authorities deliberately accepted TR-3 to ensure that aircraft entering service are immediately compatible with future systems, avoiding costly retrofits later. This configuration will enable integration of new precision munitions, advanced air-to-ground sensors, and electronic warfare improvements planned for the next decade. For maintainers, TR-3 standardizes fault detection and maintenance diagnostics across the fleet, simplifying sustainment and reducing downtime.
The Belgian F-35 program began as a structured replacement effort for the F-16, with an initial order of 34 aircraft that has since been expanded in principle to a projected fleet of 45 to match national and NATO tasking. (Picture source: Belgian Air Force)
We know that the Belgian F-35A fleet will be armed initially with AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles (approved under a U.S. Foreign Military Sales package), Joint Strike Missiles/JSM (the first acquisition of cruise missiles by the Belgian Armed Forces), and the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb for precision ground attack. The AIM-9X integration provides short-range engagement capability linked to the pilot’s helmet-mounted display, while the GBU-39 offers 110-kilogram precision strike capacity compatible with internal bays. Additional munitions, including the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and future stand-off precision weapons, will be phased in through incremental certifications. These armament packages preserve interoperability with NATO allies while allowing Belgium to retire its aging stock of legacy ordnance used on the F-16. A logistics coordination framework between Florennes, Kleine-Brogel, and allied depots in Italy and the Netherlands supports ammunition sharing and storage in compliance with NATO safety standards.
Belgian industrial participation in the F-35 program includes both direct and indirect contributions to aircraft production and sustainment. Domestic firms such as Sonaca, Asco Industries, SABCA, and ILIAS Solutions are engaged in the manufacture of structural components, titanium elements, tail assemblies, and logistics software. Sonaca produces horizontal tailplane parts, Asco machines titanium fittings and control surface elements, SABCA supplies subassemblies and performs component maintenance, while ILIAS develops software for maintenance and logistics tracking. Collectively, these contracts provide long-term employment in the Belgian aerospace sector and integrate local industry into the F-35’s global supply chain. The revised industrial plan adjusted initial projections to align with real production demand, focusing on steady work rather than short-term offsets.
European industrial participation extends beyond Belgium through the Cameri Final Assembly and Check-Out (FACO) facility in Italy, operated jointly by Leonardo and Lockheed Martin. Cameri is responsible for assembling F-35As for Italy, the Netherlands, and now Belgium, as well as for maintaining European-based fleets. Belgium’s decision to route some of its aircraft through Cameri reflects a strategy to strengthen European industrial collaboration and reduce logistical dependency on the United States for major maintenance. The facility also serves as Europe’s regional depot for structural repairs, radar upgrades, and coatings maintenance, with direct transport links to Belgian bases. This integration allows Belgium to benefit from the shared European sustainment network and leverages established tooling and expertise within the continent.
Germany is expanding its contribution through the establishment of an Integrated Assembly Line for F-35 center fuselages, developed by Rheinmetall in partnership with Northrop Grumman. The facility, once operational, will produce key fuselage structures for European customers and diversify production beyond existing lines in Italy and Japan. For Belgium, this distributed manufacturing footprint demonstrates that the F-35 program operates as a multinational industrial enterprise rather than a single-source import system. European facilities collectively increase throughput capacity, shorten delivery times, and provide redundancy in production and sustainment. Belgium’s alignment with this network helps ensure spare parts availability and technical support continuity throughout the aircraft’s service life.
Each F-35’s flight control software, compiled from more than 8 million lines of onboard code and more than 24 million lines within its supporting ground systems, operates autonomously onboard and is isolated from remote manipulation during flight. (Picture source: US DoD)
Several myths persist about the F-35 program, particularly regarding autonomy, cost, and reliability. One recurring claim alleges that the aircraft includes a remote “kill switch” allowing the United States to disable allied fleets, yet this assertion is inconsistent with how the F-35 enterprise is structured and governed. Partner nations, including Belgium, maintain sovereign control over all operational decisions, mission data, and deployment authorizations. The mission-data files, which define electronic threat libraries and national identification parameters, are generated and stored within secure domestic facilities under Belgian Air Component supervision.
NATO’s Communications and Information Agency assists only with interoperability standards, not command authority. The logistics system, known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) and now being replaced by ODIN (Operational Data Integrated Network), enables fleet management and predictive maintenance but has no ability to override pilot commands or aircraft operations. Each F-35’s flight control software, compiled from more than 8 million lines of onboard code and more than 24 million lines within its supporting ground systems, operates autonomously onboard and is isolated from remote manipulation during flight.
Cost is another frequent subject of misunderstanding, often driven by incomplete or outdated figures. Belgium’s contract value for 34 aircraft was announced at approximately €3.8 billion for acquisition, with total program expenditures including training, simulators, infrastructure, and support rising to around €6.5 billion over the program’s life cycle. The average unit procurement cost for a Belgian F-35A, including its associated ground systems, therefore remains comparable to the price range of $82–85 million per aircraft under the Lot 17 production batch. The U.S. Department of Defense and the F-35 Joint Program Office report an average flight hour cost of about $36,000 for the F-35A, a figure steadily declining from more than $50,000 in 2015 as fleet maturity improves.
For context, the F-16AM/BM operated by Belgium costs roughly $22,000–25,000 per flight hour, but the newer F-35’s maintenance concept incorporates automated fault detection and digital logistics designed to reduce human labor and spare-part wastage over time, gradually narrowing the cost gap as reliability increases. Belgium also benefits from shared European maintenance facilities, particularly Cameri and future German production centers, which reduce sustainment expenses associated with overseas logistics.
Finally, the precautionary grounding of the fourth aircraft during the ferry flight to Belgium has been cited as proof of unreliability, but the event represents a normal safety measure taken during any new aircraft introduction phase. The decision to hold the jet in the Azores was made following a minor technical observation requiring additional verification, consistent with standard operational safety practices. The other three aircraft completed the flight without issue, and the fourth will rejoin the fleet once maintenance checks are finalized. Belgian officials have emphasized that such occurrences are typical for any new aircraft entering service and reflect a cautious approach to airworthiness rather than systemic deficiencies.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Belgium’s first three F-35A Lightning II multirole fighter jets arrived at Florennes Air Base on October 13, 2025, following a direct ferry flight from the United States. The country has ordered 34 F-35s, with a projected total of 45, to replace F-16 aircraft and strengthen NATO air integration.
Belgium officially began its F-35A operational phase on October 13, 2025, when three aircraft arrived at Florennes Air Base after completing a transatlantic transfer from the United States. A fourth jet remains temporarily stationed at Lajes Air Base in the Azores for standard airworthiness checks before continuing to Belgium. The initial arrivals follow completion of pilot and maintainer training in the U.S. and coincide with the opening of dedicated F-35 facilities at Florennes, including secure hangars, flight simulators, and hardened shelters.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Belgium’s decision to select the F-35 followed a competitive evaluation against predefined criteria, including capability fit, through-life support, interoperability with NATO partners, and cost profiles, as this aircraft best satisfied the specified requirements. (Picture source: Belgian Air Force)
Belgium’s acquisition of the F-35A followed a structured and competitive evaluation process launched to replace the aging F-16AM/BM fleet, which has been in service since 1979. The selection concluded that the F-35A provided the best overall balance of cost, capability, and long-term operational suitability according to the specific criteria established by the Belgian Ministry of Defence. This outcome was based on measurable factors including life-cycle cost, interoperability within NATO, industrial return, and mission effectiveness. While some political actors expressed a preference for European alternatives, the final evaluation determined that the F-35A best met the technical and operational requirements defined in the competition. Belgium initially ordered 34 aircraft, later expanded in principle to 45 to align with NATO capability targets. Eight aircraft are currently assigned to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where Belgian pilots undergo conversion training before returning to Florennes to stand up the 350th Fighter Squadron.
Florennes Air Base, located in Wallonia, has been designated as the first operational base for the Belgian F-35 fleet, while Kleine-Brogel in Limburg will follow as the second operating location later in the decade. Both sites are undergoing major infrastructure upgrades to support fifth-generation security and maintenance standards, including hangars with restricted access, protected avionics bays, and next-generation flight simulators compatible with the TR-3 configuration. The initial Belgian detachment at Florennes will focus on pilot conversion, maintenance procedures, and integration into NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre network. The transition period from F-16 to F-35A will last several years to ensure uninterrupted air policing, nuclear sharing, and coalition participation missions. The government’s Defense Planning 2030 allocates funding to synchronize deliveries, training, and munitions procurement while maintaining F-16 readiness until the F-35 fleet reaches full maturity.
Training and sustainment are central to the program’s implementation. Belgian pilots began instruction on F-35A aircraft at Luke Air Force Base in 2023, where they trained alongside U.S. and other partner nation personnel under a common syllabus. Maintainers also completed specialized courses at Eglin Air Force Base and Cameri, Italy, to learn the aircraft’s advanced support procedures. Upon returning to Belgium, the first cadre of pilots and technicians formed the foundation of the new F-35 operational unit. The 1st Fighter Squadron, which previously flew the F-16, is now transitioning to the F-35A, while the 349th Squadron will follow once the second operational base is completed. These two squadrons will ultimately share 45 aircraft and operate in a rotational posture to support NATO’s Baltic Air Policing missions, nuclear sharing tasks, and joint operations with allied air forces.
The F-35A replaces the F-16 in all mission categories, bringing an integrated architecture centered on stealth, multi-sensor fusion, and advanced computing capabilities. Unlike the F-16’s federated avionics, where the pilot interprets data from multiple discrete systems, the F-35’s distributed aperture, radar, and electronic warfare sensors fuse data automatically into a single tactical display. This reduces pilot workload and provides earlier detection, identification, and engagement capability against modern air and surface threats. The F-35A’s radar cross-section reduction enables flight profiles that lower detection probability, improving survivability in dense radar environments. The aircraft’s mission computer continuously updates threat libraries and sensor correlations, giving pilots near-instantaneous situational awareness. These features enable Belgium to maintain operational parity with other NATO air forces already fielding the F-35, including the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Italy.
Belgium’s F-35As are delivered with the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) hardware and software suite, which expands computing power, display performance, and onboard memory to support the future Block 4 upgrade package. TR-3 enhances the processing speed of the core mission computer, allowing for improved sensor data fusion, new radar modes, and additional weapons integration. While the upgrade caused minor schedule adjustments, Belgian authorities deliberately accepted TR-3 to ensure that aircraft entering service are immediately compatible with future systems, avoiding costly retrofits later. This configuration will enable integration of new precision munitions, advanced air-to-ground sensors, and electronic warfare improvements planned for the next decade. For maintainers, TR-3 standardizes fault detection and maintenance diagnostics across the fleet, simplifying sustainment and reducing downtime.
The Belgian F-35 program began as a structured replacement effort for the F-16, with an initial order of 34 aircraft that has since been expanded in principle to a projected fleet of 45 to match national and NATO tasking. (Picture source: Belgian Air Force)
We know that the Belgian F-35A fleet will be armed initially with AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles (approved under a U.S. Foreign Military Sales package), Joint Strike Missiles/JSM (the first acquisition of cruise missiles by the Belgian Armed Forces), and the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb for precision ground attack. The AIM-9X integration provides short-range engagement capability linked to the pilot’s helmet-mounted display, while the GBU-39 offers 110-kilogram precision strike capacity compatible with internal bays. Additional munitions, including the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and future stand-off precision weapons, will be phased in through incremental certifications. These armament packages preserve interoperability with NATO allies while allowing Belgium to retire its aging stock of legacy ordnance used on the F-16. A logistics coordination framework between Florennes, Kleine-Brogel, and allied depots in Italy and the Netherlands supports ammunition sharing and storage in compliance with NATO safety standards.
Belgian industrial participation in the F-35 program includes both direct and indirect contributions to aircraft production and sustainment. Domestic firms such as Sonaca, Asco Industries, SABCA, and ILIAS Solutions are engaged in the manufacture of structural components, titanium elements, tail assemblies, and logistics software. Sonaca produces horizontal tailplane parts, Asco machines titanium fittings and control surface elements, SABCA supplies subassemblies and performs component maintenance, while ILIAS develops software for maintenance and logistics tracking. Collectively, these contracts provide long-term employment in the Belgian aerospace sector and integrate local industry into the F-35’s global supply chain. The revised industrial plan adjusted initial projections to align with real production demand, focusing on steady work rather than short-term offsets.
European industrial participation extends beyond Belgium through the Cameri Final Assembly and Check-Out (FACO) facility in Italy, operated jointly by Leonardo and Lockheed Martin. Cameri is responsible for assembling F-35As for Italy, the Netherlands, and now Belgium, as well as for maintaining European-based fleets. Belgium’s decision to route some of its aircraft through Cameri reflects a strategy to strengthen European industrial collaboration and reduce logistical dependency on the United States for major maintenance. The facility also serves as Europe’s regional depot for structural repairs, radar upgrades, and coatings maintenance, with direct transport links to Belgian bases. This integration allows Belgium to benefit from the shared European sustainment network and leverages established tooling and expertise within the continent.
Germany is expanding its contribution through the establishment of an Integrated Assembly Line for F-35 center fuselages, developed by Rheinmetall in partnership with Northrop Grumman. The facility, once operational, will produce key fuselage structures for European customers and diversify production beyond existing lines in Italy and Japan. For Belgium, this distributed manufacturing footprint demonstrates that the F-35 program operates as a multinational industrial enterprise rather than a single-source import system. European facilities collectively increase throughput capacity, shorten delivery times, and provide redundancy in production and sustainment. Belgium’s alignment with this network helps ensure spare parts availability and technical support continuity throughout the aircraft’s service life.
Each F-35’s flight control software, compiled from more than 8 million lines of onboard code and more than 24 million lines within its supporting ground systems, operates autonomously onboard and is isolated from remote manipulation during flight. (Picture source: US DoD)
Several myths persist about the F-35 program, particularly regarding autonomy, cost, and reliability. One recurring claim alleges that the aircraft includes a remote “kill switch” allowing the United States to disable allied fleets, yet this assertion is inconsistent with how the F-35 enterprise is structured and governed. Partner nations, including Belgium, maintain sovereign control over all operational decisions, mission data, and deployment authorizations. The mission-data files, which define electronic threat libraries and national identification parameters, are generated and stored within secure domestic facilities under Belgian Air Component supervision.
NATO’s Communications and Information Agency assists only with interoperability standards, not command authority. The logistics system, known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) and now being replaced by ODIN (Operational Data Integrated Network), enables fleet management and predictive maintenance but has no ability to override pilot commands or aircraft operations. Each F-35’s flight control software, compiled from more than 8 million lines of onboard code and more than 24 million lines within its supporting ground systems, operates autonomously onboard and is isolated from remote manipulation during flight.
Cost is another frequent subject of misunderstanding, often driven by incomplete or outdated figures. Belgium’s contract value for 34 aircraft was announced at approximately €3.8 billion for acquisition, with total program expenditures including training, simulators, infrastructure, and support rising to around €6.5 billion over the program’s life cycle. The average unit procurement cost for a Belgian F-35A, including its associated ground systems, therefore remains comparable to the price range of $82–85 million per aircraft under the Lot 17 production batch. The U.S. Department of Defense and the F-35 Joint Program Office report an average flight hour cost of about $36,000 for the F-35A, a figure steadily declining from more than $50,000 in 2015 as fleet maturity improves.
For context, the F-16AM/BM operated by Belgium costs roughly $22,000–25,000 per flight hour, but the newer F-35’s maintenance concept incorporates automated fault detection and digital logistics designed to reduce human labor and spare-part wastage over time, gradually narrowing the cost gap as reliability increases. Belgium also benefits from shared European maintenance facilities, particularly Cameri and future German production centers, which reduce sustainment expenses associated with overseas logistics.
Finally, the precautionary grounding of the fourth aircraft during the ferry flight to Belgium has been cited as proof of unreliability, but the event represents a normal safety measure taken during any new aircraft introduction phase. The decision to hold the jet in the Azores was made following a minor technical observation requiring additional verification, consistent with standard operational safety practices. The other three aircraft completed the flight without issue, and the fourth will rejoin the fleet once maintenance checks are finalized. Belgian officials have emphasized that such occurrences are typical for any new aircraft entering service and reflect a cautious approach to airworthiness rather than systemic deficiencies.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
