Belgian Wings
Belgian Air Force, past and present.
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Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II FL001 shorly before the official roll-out at Forth Worth on 10 December 2023.
Single seat multirole fighter aircraft
After an in-depth evaluation and analysis of all different candidates to replace the F-16AM & BM Fighting Falcons, the Belgian Government decided in late 2018 that it would order 34 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning fighters for the Belgian Air Force. The F-35A was preferred over the Dassault Rafale F4, Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab JAS 39E and the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet in part because it was the only 5th generation fighter in the candidate line-up.
The Lightning II is a state-of-the-art multifunctional fighter which also offers stealth characteristics when needed. The 34 Belgian F-35A’s will be based at Florennes airbase as of 2025 followed in 2027 by Kleine Brogel airbase. Initially eight Belgian Lightning II’s will in the USA where they will provide training for pilots and technicians. Personnel and equipment will form the Belgian F-35 "Conversion Unit" (CU) as part of the USAF 312th Fighter Squadron based at Luke AFB - Arizona (USA). The first Belgian F-35A, FL001 (AY-01), was officially rolled out at the Lockheed Martin plant at Fort Worth on 10 December 2023 while the first machines arrived at Florennes airbase on 13 October 2025. In February 2026 it was announced that the Belgian Government is set to order an additional 11 F-35A fighters to expand its fleet from 34 to 45.(Daniel Brackx)
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C/N
AY-01
FL001
Date In
Dec 2024
Date Out
-
History
22-5762, FL001, roll out ceremony at Lockheed Martin Fort Worth plant on 10 Dec 2023, delivered to 312 FS (USAF) at Luke AFB (USA) on 9 Dec 2024.
C/N
AY-02
FL002
Date In
Dec 2024
Date Out
-
History
22-5763, FL002, first aircraft delivered to Belgian Air Force at 312 FS (USAF) at Luke AFB (USA) on 3 Dec 2024
C/N
AY-03
FL003
Date In
Feb 2025
Date Out
-
History
22-5764, FL003, first flight at Fort Worth (USA) on 14 May 2024, delivered to 312 FS (USAF) at Luke AFB (USA) in Feb 2025.
C/N
AY-04
FL004
Date In
Jan 2025
Date Out
-
History
22-5765, FL004, first flight at Fort Worth (USA) on 23 May 2024, delivered to 312 FS (USAF) at Luke AFB (USA) in Jan 2025.
C/N
AY-05
FL005
Date In
Feb 2025
Date Out
-
History
22-5845, FL005, first flight at Fort Worth (USA) on 18 Dec 2024, delivered to 312 FS (USAF) at Luke AFB (USA) on 13 Feb 2025.
C/N
AY-06
FL006
Date In
Jan 2025
Date Out
-
History
22-5846 FL006, first flight at Fort Worth (USA) on 19 Dec 2024; delivered to 312 FS (USAF) at Luke AFB (USA) on 24 Jan 2025.
C/N
AY-07
FL007
Date In
Jan 2025
Date Out
-
History
22-5847, FL007, first flight at Fort Worth (USA) on 09 Dec 2024, delivered to 312 FS (USAF) at Luke AFB as 'Hustler92' on 08 Jan 2025.
C/N
AY-08
FL008
Date In
Jan 2025
Date Out
-
History
22-5848, FL008, first flight at Fort Worth (USA) on 08 Jan 2025, delivered to 312 FS (USAF) at Luke AFB (USA) on 13 Feb 2025.
C/N
AY-09
FL009
Date In
Oct 2025
Date Out
-
History
-, FL009, first flight at Fort Worth (USA) on 14 Aug 2025, delivered to N° 1 Squadron at Florennes airbase on 13 Oct 2025
C/N
AY-10
FL010
Date In
Oct 2025
Date Out
-
History
-, FL010, first flight at Fort Worth (USA) on 28 Aug 2025, delivered to N° 1 Squadron at Florennes airbase on 13 Oct 2025
C/N
AY-11
FL011
Date In
Oct 2025
Date Out
-
History
-, FL011, first flight at Fort Worth (USA) on 15 Aug 2025, delivered to N° 1 Squadron at Florennes airbase on 24 Oct 2025.
C/N
AY-12
FL012
Date In
Oct 2025
Date Out
-
History
-, FL012, first flight at Fort Worth (USA) on 16 Aug 2025, delivered to N° 1 Squadron at Florennes airbase on 13 Oct 2025
