Belgian Air Component F-35A Delivered

On October 13, 2025, the Belgian Air Component officially received its first four F-35A Lightning II fighters at Florennes Air Base. Ferried from Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, these fifth-generation aircraft mark the start of a strategic fleet modernization to replace the aging F-16 inventory by 2028. This delivery increases Belgium’s active F-35A count by four units, reducing the remaining order backlog accordingly. The aircraft will now undergo operational evaluation and systems integration, supported by specialized infrastructure upgrades at Florennes and Kleine-Brogel. Belgium aims to achieve Initial Operational Capability (IOC) by 2027 as pilot training transitions to domestic airspace.