Milestone Belgian Air Force F-35A
On 5 June 2023, the Belgische Luchtmacht (BLu, Belgian Air Force) Chief Major General Thierry Dupont signed the bulkhead of the first Belgian F-35A Lightning II during a visit to Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth (TX) production facility.
In October 2018, the Belgian government had chosen the Lightning II to replace its ageing F-16 Fighting Falcons. In a USD 4,5 billion contract, the government ordered 34 F-35A Lightning IIs.
In order to receive these new fighter aircraft, the planned Kleine Brogel and Florennes air bases will undergo major renovation works and the construction of special compounds. Such a compound will consist of buildings for the preparation and (de)briefings of missions, four large training simulators, a maintenance hangar that can accommodate six aircraft, sixteen covered and lockable standing areas and a “Quick Reaction Alert” zone.
Because of COVID, first deliveries have slipped a little in time. Belgium’s defence minister, Ludivine Dedonder, confirmed that the US will be delivering only two F-35As to Belgium this year instead of four as originally planned. The other two will be delivered in the first quarter of 2024. The revised delivery schedule will be four to five F-35s per year between 2024 and 2030, so the total order of 34 aircraft should be delivered in 2030, in accordance with the initial delivery scheme.
It is expected that the first F-35A, serial FL01 (c/n AY-01), will be delivered in December 2023.
Photo by Belgian Air Force (Twitter @BeAirForce)