Belgium will shore up its dedication to the F-35 with a follow-on order for extra jets and for cruise missiles to arm them, whereas additionally in search of an expanded position within the European FCAS programme.
Plans which have circulated since early July have been formally authorized by the Belgian Authorities and introduced by Minister of Defence Theo Francken final week. The headline of the brand new imaginative and prescient for Belgian defence is a follow-on order for 11 extra F-35A Lightning II plane, bringing Belgium’s deliberate fleet from 34 jets to 45.
No F-35s have but been delivered to Belgian soil, however eight airframes are within the fingers of Belgian Air Part pilots coaching on their new plane in america. The primary F-35s to be based mostly in Belgium are anticipated to make the journey throughout the Atlantic later this yr. Francken says that the additional batch of 11 jets will likely be assembled in Europe on the Ultimate Meeting and Examine Out (FACO) facility in Cameri, Italy.
First 🇧🇪 pilots full F-35 coaching course in 🇺🇸
One other necessary milestone for the 🇧🇪 Air Power as they transition to the fifth era platform. The primary F-35 is anticipated in Florennes later this yr, growing Allied capabilities, deterrence & defence
📸 Moors M pic.twitter.com/7omqRvSjlb
— NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) July 15, 2025
For some years it has been reported that with the intention to present the anticipated stage of functionality to NATO’s general order of battle, Belgium would want at the very least 55 deployable fight plane. The nation’s current fleet of F-16s (together with each F-16AM and twin-seat F-16BM fashions) numbers round 54 plane. Rumors a few potential order for 21 extra F-35s over the preliminary 34 have circulated beforehand – it is rather potential that an additional follow-on order for 10 extra plane could come all through the longer term.
Belgium chosen the F-35 as its new fighter in 2018, profitable out over the Eurofighter Hurricane on monetary grounds due to the size of manufacturing. An extra, and even perhaps extra necessary issue, is that the Hurricane is just not licensed for the supply of B61 nuclear weapons, which Belgium hosts underneath the NATO Nuclear Sharing programme. An identical circumstance utilized to Germany, who after a few years of deliberation additionally opted to purchase a drive of F-35s to function alongside its sizable Hurricane fleet.
Upon supply of a ample variety of F-35s, Belgium plans to start transferring its retiring F-16s to the Ukrainian Air Power. Belgium pledged its jets in 2024, with as much as 30 to be delivered to Ukraine by 2028.
In addition to approving extra F-35s, the Authorities additionally inexperienced lit a proposal to order the Kongsberg Joint Strike Missile (JSM). This will likely be Belgium’s first recognized foray into the world of air-launched cruise missiles, with the present F-16 fleet relying solely on Paveway and Joint Direct Assault Munition (JDAM) outfitted bombs in addition to the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB). Defence Minister Francken beforehand described the addition of JSM as a “sport changer” for nationwide deterrence and operational autonomy.
The primary take a look at of a Joint Strike Missile (JSM) from an F-35 lately befell @EdwardsAFB.
This profitable begin to jettison testing retains the JSM take a look at program on observe to ship elevated long-range strike capabilities to the @Luftforsvaret. pic.twitter.com/ucIkZ5oOnF
— F-35 Lightning II (@thef35) April 15, 2021
The JSM is a comparatively small cruise missile within the 500 kg weight class, although importantly its dimension means the missile is ready to match inside the F-35A’s inner weapon bays. It’s derived from the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) which now equips many NATO warships and is meant to be fitted on Belgium’s new anti-submarine warfare frigates. The missile touts a most vary between 500 and 600 kilometres at excessive subsonic speeds, and a low radar cross-section design reduces vulnerability to air defence weaponry.
Eyes on FCAS
Seeking to the longer term, Belgium needs to get additional on board with the joint Future Fight Air System (FCAS) programme being led by France, Germany, and Spain. FCAS intends to provide a sixth era fighter plane which might enter the market in opposition to the World Fight Air Programme (GCAP), or Tempest, underneath growth by the UK, Italy, and Japan.
Very similar to its fellow sixth era programmes, FCAS intends to leverage rising unmanned applied sciences with ‘Loyal Wingman’ drones that can function alongside a manned stealthy, supersonic fighter plane.
In comparison with GCAP, FCAS is taken into account to have had a considerably extra shaky begin to its life. There stays a lot much less confirmed relating to the programme than its competitor, with reviews of disagreements between the three important companions over their particular person necessities. Involved with the prospect of delays pushing again the plane’s service entry date, Dassault Aviation earlier this month staked a declare for 80% of the mission’s workshare. Nevertheless, that is possible solely to trigger additional unhealthy blood within the partnership as it might sideline Airbus and Indra Sistemas.
Tensions inside the Franco-German-Spanish Future Fight Air System (#FCAS) program resurfaced on the #ParisAirShow, the place #Dassault made the case for program supremacy and Airbus urged endurance as companions work out how you can work collectively.
— Aviation Week (@AviationWeek) June 17, 2025
Belgium joined the FCAS alliance as an ‘observer’ in 2024, although extra lately, Francken has been crucial of the very fact Europe has two related programmes operating concurrently. In keeping with Breaking Protection, he argued: “We want extra European integration, extra European collaboration, and have this an instance? It’s a actually unhealthy instance.”
Regardless of these reservations, Aviation Week reviews that Belgium will suggest to France, Germany, and Spain that it ought to turn into a full associate in FCAS within the subsequent section of growth. This could most certainly be by way of SABCA, Belgium’s important aerospace firm. Whereas SABCA has not produced its personal army plane for many years, it has been saved in a robust place by means of contracts for the manufacture of parts for and upkeep of F-16s and F-35s. The French Safran Group, already chosen as a important associate for the availability of engines to the FCAS programme, additionally has a serious presence in Belgium with 1,500 staff throughout two areas.
The precise future roadmap for the Belgian Air Part continues to be into consideration, although if authorized to turn into a important associate for FCAS the intention is to doubtlessly function the ensuing plane alongside their F-35s.
Further Fleet Updates
Aviation Week additionally reviews that the Belgian Air Part seeks the acquisition of a medium sized passenger plane that will be able to supporting abroad deployments and transport taskings the place the usage of an Airbus A400M can be superfluous. An plane of this sort would even be a extra snug possibility for routine deployments of personnel on workouts all through Europe or additional abroad. Sure quantities of freight can be carried within the below-deck cargo house.
This procurement would permit the A400M fleet to deal with frontline operations and heavy airlift duties. Different European nations, just like the UK and France, ceaselessly use their aerial refueling plane (A330 MRTT) for this functionality, however Belgium’s entry to such plane is barely by means of the NATO Multinational Multi-Position Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF).
Earlier this month, information additionally emerged that Belgium’s NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters (TTH) will likely be withdrawn from service prematurely. Notably direct in his assertion, the defence minister stated the helicopters have been a “unhealthy buy” and “extraordinarily costly to take care of”. We explored a few of the destructive experiences confronted by NH90 operators in a earlier article on the NH90 Block 2 mission.
A substitute helicopter is aimed for supply in 2026. The small fleet of NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) maritime variant NH90s operated by Belgium will, nonetheless, stay in service.
