First flight Belgian Air Force F-35A
On 14 May 2024, an F-35A Lightning II of the Belgische Luchtmacht (BLu, Belgian Air Force) completed its first flight.
The aircraft, serial FL003 (c/n AY-03), was adorned with full colour flag and roundels. It is not known yet if all Belgian Air Force F-35As will have the full colour national markings.
Contrary to the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force) F-35As, the Belgian Lightning IIs will all be completed in the US with only the central wings and outer wing boxes constructed at the FACO facility in Cameri (Italy).
The first four F-35As will be delivered to Luke AFB (AZ) where they will join 312th Fighter Squadron, part of the 56th Fighter Wing. This squadron was inactivated in 1991, but reactivated on 1 June 2023 as an F-35A training unit, primarily training F-35 crew for the Belgian Air Force.
The remaining thirty aircraft will be based at Kleine Brogel and Florennes air bases. However, the latter will not see the first aircraft arriving before April 2025 and Kleine Brogel will have to wait until 2027.
Credit photo: Lockheed Martin