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The First Belgian F-35A arrives at Luke AFB
The first Belgian F-35A Lightning II recently arrived at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. This milestone marks the beginning of Belgium’s transition from the F-16 Fighting Falcon to the advanced F-35A, ushering in a new era for the Belgian Air Component.
As told by Senior Airman Mason Hargrove, 56th Fighter Wing, in the article The first Belgian F-35A arrives at Luke AFB, the initial cadre of Belgian pilots is at Luke AFB to commence training, as Belgium and the United States collaborate to build a new fighter squadron from scratch.
“It’s a historic day for the Belgian Air Component,” said Belgian Air Component Lt. Col. Pierre-Yves Libert, 312th Fighter Squadron senior national representative. “Our first jet just landed at Luke AFB, marking the start of our training period. A lot of work has gone into making this moment possible and we are excited to begin flying and complete our training.”
The 312th FS is eagerly awaiting a newly renovated building to enhance their training capabilities. Experienced Belgian pilots are also participating in the Simulator Subject Matter Expert course, preparing them to establish their own academic training center back home.
“What’s been so neat over the last few years is understanding how close of allies Belgium is with the United States and our shared NATO partnership in Europe,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jason Wall, 312th FS commander. “Everyone’s worked really hard for this momentous day. More jets will arrive in the coming months, and our students are ready to fly as soon as maintenance turns this jet over for operations.”
34 F-35As for Belgian Air Component
The arrival of the F-35A signifies the beginning of a new chapter with fifth-generation fighter capabilities. The joint effort in building a new fighter squadron underscores the strong partnership and shared defense goals between the two nations.
More Belgian F-35As are scheduled to arrive at Luke AFB over the next few months, reinforcing the base’s role as the premier training location for U.S. allies and partners. The collaboration extends beyond pilot training, as both countries work together to enhance operational readiness and strengthen NATO alliances.
Belgium’s program of record calls for 34 F-35As.
The F-35 creates high-quality, long-term employment opportunities for Belgium. Through the Essential Security Interest (ESI) program, Lockheed Martin will bring cutting-edge manufacturing techniques and benefits, expanding Belgian industry’s skills and knowledge and providing high-tech jobs for Belgians for decades to come.
F-35s are now operating from 32 bases worldwide. To date, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 1,000 F-35s, trained more than 2,540 pilots and 16,690 maintainers, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed 889,000 cumulative flight hours. Lockheed Martin continues to work side by side with F-35 operators to ensure allies remain ahead of the evolving threat.
The F-35A Lightning II
The F-35A is the US Air Force’s latest fifth-generation fighter. It will replace the service’s aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt II’s, which have been the primary fighter aircraft for more than 20 years, and bring with it an enhanced capability to survive in the advanced threat environment in which it was designed to operate. With its aerodynamic performance and advanced integrated avionics, the F-35A will provide next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness, and reduced vulnerability for the United States and allied nations.
The F-35 family includes three variants — all single-seat jets. The F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant, the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variant, and the F-35C carrier variant.
All three variants have similar performance characteristics and the exact same advanced avionics. The variation between models allows military forces to achieve service-specific mission capability, while still taking advantage of the economies of scale that result from the parts and processes that are common to all three variants.
Photo credit: Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson / U.S. Air Force
