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Belgium’s First F-35s Arrive at Florennes, Launching In-Country Operations

Local testing now begins toward a 2027 operational milestone under a safety-first acceptance policy.

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One of the three F-35A of the Belgian Air Force lands at Florennes Air Base, Belgium, on Oct. 13, 2025. (Image credit: Belgium MOD)

Overview

  • Three of four ferried F-35As completed the final leg to Florennes after a Lajes stop, with aircraft FL011 held back over a stated technical uncertainty regarding its flying capabilities.
  • The Belgian Air Force began operational evaluation at Florennes, with the arrival ceremony streamed by the defense ministry and attended by military leaders and industry representatives.
  • Eight Belgian-marked F-35s remain at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona for pilot and maintainer training before redeployments to Europe.
  • Belgium initially ordered 34 F-35As and has announced an intent to expand to 45 aircraft, with 11 airframes received to date including those based in the United States.
  • Initial Operational Capability is targeted for 2027 and full F-16 replacement by 2028, a timeline that underpins Belgium’s plan to transfer part of its F-16 fleet to Ukraine.