The Belgian Air Force will reach a new milestone on Monday afternoon when the first Belgian F-35s arrive at the Air Base in Florennes (Namur).
The first squadron at Florennes – the oldest Belgian squadron – will be the first Belgian unit to deploy the new fighter jets operationally.
The arrival of the first F-35s at Florennes marks "the beginning of a strategic transformation" for the Defence Ministry. The new fighter jets will replace the F-16s that have been in service for more than 40 years.
With the new fifth-generation aircraft, the Defence Ministry will also have to modernise its infrastructure, adapt its working methods and renew its training programmes. Belgian pilots and technicians will receive this training in the United States, together with their colleagues from other countries that operate the fighter jet.
The aircraft that will land on Belgian soil on Monday – normally four of them – are not the first of the Belgian order. Eight F-35s bearing the Belgian flag are already stationed at Luke Air Force Base in the United States, also known as the "university of the F-35."
Belgian Air Force Commander Geert De Decker, Jan De Nul Group CEO Jan De Nul, Minister of Defence Theo Francken and General-Major Bernard Phaleg, Monday 13 October 2025. Credit: Belga/Dirk Waem
They will remain at the base in Arizona for the training of Belgian fighter pilots. Arizona offers the pilots a number of advantages: the weather is very favourable for training flights, and the airspace they can use is larger than in Belgium.
The defence company Lockheed Martin manufactures the fighter jets in Fort Worth, Texas. There are three variants of the F-35 Lightning II. In 2018, Belgium ordered a total of 34 aircraft of the A variant, the type that takes off and lands conventionally. This year, the Belgian Government decided to purchase 11 additional F-35As.
The F-35B can take off and land vertically over a short distance. The F-35C was developed for use on aircraft carriers and has foldable wings. The US and most international customers use the F-35A. The B variant flies in the United Kingdom and Italy as well as in the US, while the C variant is only used by the US.
The Belgian F-35s are equipped with the latest TR-3 update, which includes upgrades to the computers, processors and cockpit display. This update also led to a delay in the first delivery of the aircraft.
The Kleine Brogel (Limburg province) air base will welcome the first F-35s from 2027 onwards.
