Belgium receives first F-35A
December 4, 2024
The aircraft was painted in full-colour Belgian national markings (most operators use toned down markings in shades of grey), was delivered to No.312 Squadron, which was established in June 2023, and that will eventually operate four F-35A aircraft from Luke for an extended period, training Belgian Air Force personnel in the United States.
The decision to select the F-35A Lightning II was made in 2018, and was based on the requirement to defend national airspace, but also Belgium’s contribution to collective security collaboration with allied nations within NATO.
This includes a joint effort with the Netherlands to secure the airspace over the Benelux region, and the NATO nuclear sharing arrangements, under which some leading European air forces provide aircraft and their crews to stand alert with US B61-12 nuclear bombs.
Brigadier General Thierry Dupont, commander of the Belgian Air Component, said that: “The F-35 is not just a fighter jet; it’s a strategic asset that will integrate seamlessly with our allies and secure Belgium’s defence capabilities for decades to come.”
Belgium is buying 34 F-35A Lightning II jets via the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme. After establishing a training deployment in the United States, deliveries to Florennes Air Base in Belgium will begin in 2025. A second base at Kleine-Brogel is due to attain operational readiness by 2027.
Future international training will shift to Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas, with the Polish Air Force expected to be the first to utilise the new facility, followed by Finland, Germany, and the Czech Republic.
