Belgium has officially received its first F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, with three aircraft landing at Florennes Air Base in Namur province on October 13. A fourth jet was left behind in the Azores due to what officials described as a technical issue.
The aircraft departed from Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility in Texas last week and made a planned stopover at Lajes Air Base in the Azores before continuing to Belgium. The three operational jets arrived shortly after 3 p.m. local time, welcomed by King Philippe, Defense Minister Theo Francken, Chief of Defense General Frederik Vansina, and other senior officials.
Belgian media reported that the fourth aircraft, registered as FL011, did not complete the final leg after encountering what the Defense Ministry called “technical uncertainty regarding its flying capabilities.” At a press briefing, Major General Geert De Decker, Commander of the Belgian Air Force, said, “When there’s doubt, there’s no doubt,” emphasizing that the decision to ground the jet reflected the service’s safety-first approach.
The arrival was broadcast live by the Belgian Ministry of Defence and coincided with the inauguration of a new F-35 maintenance complex at Florennes. “This marks an important milestone in Belgium’s defense transformation,” said Defense Minister Francken, noting that the F-35 fleet will gradually replace the F-16s that have been in service for more than four decades.
Belgium has so far received 11 of its 34 ordered F-35As, with additional aircraft currently used for pilot and technician training at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. In July, the government announced plans to acquire 11 more, bringing the total fleet to 45 aircraft.
General Vansina stated that Belgium’s participation in the F-35 program strengthens European air defense integration. “Together with our NATO and European allies, we’re building a wall of F-35s, a shield of over 700 aircraft securing our European skies,” he said. “That wall is not a symbol of aggression, but of determination.”
Lockheed Martin representatives also attended the ceremony. Greg Ulmer, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said the company’s partnership with Belgium “continues to support its national security and industrial base,” calling the delivery “a step toward ensuring the Belgian Air Force remains prepared for future challenges.”
Florennes Air Base, once home to NATO’s Tactical Leadership Programme, will host Belgium’s first operational F-35 squadron, followed later by Kleine-Brogel Air Base. The integration of the fifth-generation fighter introduces stealth, networked warfare, and sensor-fusion capabilities to Belgium’s air operations within NATO.