Belgian Air Component Celebrates Arrival of Final A400M Aircraft

Airbus has completed the delivery of A400M military transport aircrafts to the Belgian Air Component. The last A400M was received on January 21, with an official ceremony planned for the end of February. The Belgian-Luxembourg unit now has a total of eight aircraft, seven for Belgium and one for Luxembourg, following deliveries that spanned from October 2020 to January 2024.

The A400M fleet achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in the autumn of 2021 and Limited Operational Capability (LOC) in the spring of 2022. The article mentions that Full Operational Capability (FOC) is expected by the end of the current year or the beginning of 2025. The arrival of the A400Ms required significant infrastructure enhancements at BruMil airport, including a new maintenance hangar in 2021 and a flight simulator building in 2023.

The second phase of the project involves the comprehensive renovation of the Melsbroek base, including the construction of a new aircraft platform (APRON) to facilitate operations, an administrative building for military airport services, a passenger and cargo terminal, dining facilities for staff, and modernization of the sewage system. The Design, Build, and Maintain (DBM) contract was initiated in November 2020, with completion expected early this year, and construction work scheduled from 2025 to 2029.

The A400M is a collaborative European effort initiated in May 2003 to meet the needs of seven European nations, later joined by Malaysia. The assembly takes place in Spain, with wings produced in the UK and the fuselage built in Germany. Operational deployment of the A400M has already occurred in various regions, including Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, the African Sahel Region, Mali, and the Middle East.

Looking ahead, Belgium plans to acquire three small transport aircraft between 2029 and 2032 for 170.24 million euros, aiming to enhance fleet efficiency and avoid deploying the larger A400M for smaller cargo loads. The aircraft chosen for this task will probably be the C295, also manufactured by Airbus.

First F-35 for Belgium Air Force enters in production phase

The first F-35 Lightning II for Belgium has entered the Fort Worth assembly line in Texas, the Belgian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 14 November.

The outer wingbox of the first of 34 F-35As for the Belgian Air Component (BAC) entered the assembly line following delivery from Leonardo's F-35 production facility in Cameri, Italy.

This first aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2023, and will remain in the United States along with seven other BAC aircraft to be used for international training at Luke Air Force Base (AFB) in Arizona.

Deliveries to Florennes Air Base in Belgium will commence in 2025, at which time the type will be phased into service as a replacement for the Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon.

janes 

Belgian Air Force receives first A400M

The Belgian Air Force has taken delivery of its first of seven Airbus A400M.

The aircraft was handed over to the customer at the A400M Final Assembly Line in Seville (Spain) and subsequently performed its ferry flight to the 15th Wing Air Transport in Melsbroek (Belgium), where the aircraft will be based. This A400M, known as MSN106, will be operated within a binational unit composed of a total of eight aircraft, seven from the Belgian Air Force and one from the Luxembourg Armed Forces. The second A400M for Belgium will be delivered in early 2021.  

airbus

Belgium chooses Lockheed's F-35 over Eurofighter according Reuters

Belgium has chosen Lockheed Martin’s (LMT.N) F-35 stealth jets over the Eurofighter Typhoon to replace its aging F-16s, news agency Belga cited government sources.
The country has been deliberating for months over a multibillion-dollar purchase of 34 new fighter jets, with the latest deadline for a decision being Oct. 29.
A defense ministry spokeswoman declined to comment on the government’s decision and did not confirm the end-October deadline.
Lockheed spokeswoman Carolyn Nelson did not confirm that a decision had been made but said the company remains confident that the F-35 is the right choice for Belgium.
If confirmed, the decision will make Belgium the 12th country to buy the radar-evading F-35 jets and could help to strengthen the U.S. aerospace company’s position in forthcoming tenders in Switzerland, Finland and Germany.
The decision, the likely outcome of which was reported by Reuters last Friday, had been expected in July before the NATO summit in Brussels. The order for jets due for delivery from 2023 is estimated to be worth 3.6 billion euros.
reuters.com

Belgian NH90s reach initial operational capability

Belgium's NH90 multirole helicopters have declared their initial operating capability.
The 18th Squadron in Beauvechain is now ready for operations in a non-hostile environment. This includes the capability to transport ground units and heavy equipment weighing up to four tonnes and to perform evacuations.
Full operational capability, including flying in a hostile environment should be achieved at the end of 2016. Belgium has received four NH90 troop transport helicopters and four NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopters.
janes

Belgium Reveals Wish List For New Fighter

Belgian defense officials have detailed their wish list for their future fighter aircraft,while preparing to present their case to the country’s next government. But despite shortlisting five Western fighters last summer, there are indications that the country may be drawing closer toward selection of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
aviationweek

Belgium Seeks More Information For F-16 Replacement

The Belgian government has started a survey process to pave the way for a program to replace the country’s F-16 fighter fleet.
The Air Combat Capability Successor Program Preparation Survey document, published on Jan. 8, follows on from a survey last June sent to the government agencies requesting information from the five perceived successors: Lockheed Martin’s F-35, the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault’s Rafale and the Saab Gripen.
Over 25 pages, the new document outlines what Belgium wants to get out of its new fighter, assessing the operational capabilities, technical and logistical aspects as well as the costs and risks. With that information, the Belgian defense ministry will then be able to ask the government for approval to start the F-16 successor program.
Belgium believes its F-16s will reach the end of their operational lives in the mid- to late 2020s. So it wants to embark on a program that will start to deliver aircraft by the end of 2022, with full operational capability achieved by 2029.
The document places considerable emphasis on the need for a partner or partnership for the program to succeed, pointing to the success the country has had with its F-16 purchase along with other European NATO members.
Belgium wants to continue its track record of successful support of NATO and international operations with its future fighter fleet. Even now, Belgium has aircraft deployed in Jordan to support the U.S. led-coalition against Islamic State fighters in Iraq. Belgium wants to be able to deploy as many as 10 fighters for a sustained period of undetermined duration, or "execute a one-time participation in a multinational operation with a maximum engagement of 30 aircraft.
aviationweek

Belgium Receives Last NH90 Troop Transport Helicopter

The last of four NH90 troop transport helicopters ordered by Belgium, was handed over in Marignane, France, Nov. 13.
The other three have clocked up 450 flying hours since the first one entered service Oct. 2, 2013. Belgian pilots are among the most intensive users of the NH90, wiht an average availability of 67%.
The last two of four NATO Frigate Helicopters ordered by Belgium will be delivered at the end of November and the first half of 2015, respectively, replacing navy Sea Kings in the search and rescue role.
aviationweek

Belgian F-16 launches first strike in Iraq

A Belgian F-16 has carried out Belgium's first bombing raid in the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq.
Belgium has contributed six F-16 bombers to the United States-led air campaign against Islamic State militants, backing up Iraqi and Kurdish troops on the ground.
Two of the Belgian jets were flying their first reconnaissance missions over Iraqi territory on Sunday when they were called to action.
After the positive identification of a terrorist element attacking Iraqi security forces, one of the war planes was asked to launch an air strike.
The Belgian aircraft intervened with a GPS-guided bomb, resulting in the immediate neutralisation of the enemy threat.
smh.com.au

Belgium to Send Six F-16 Jets to Battle ISIS Militants In Iraq

Belgium is set to offer six fighter jets to the U.S.-led coalition to combat ISIS militants in Iraq. The country received a formal request from the United States. Belgium would send six F-16 jets and C-130 cargo planes to carry troops and material to Iraq.
Any Belgian engagement will require the approval of parliament, although there appears to be a very broad majority in favor of action.
nbcnews

Fix Decided on For F-16 Cracks

The US Air Force and Lockheed Martin have reached agreement on a fix for a series of cracks impacting F-16B and D fleets around the world.
The fix involves attaching steel and aluminum straps to the front fuselage area.
The cracks in question are on the canopy sill longeron, part of the frame of the aircraft that surrounds the cockpit area of the jet. Cracks were first discovered on an F-16D model on July 31, and the service ordered inspections of the entire F-16D fleet. That resulted in 82 of the service’s 157 F-16D models being grounded.
According to initial Air Force figures, the largest number of cracked F-16D models were at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, where all 35 planes were found to have cracks.
That inspection order also applies to the F-16B and F-16D models used internationally. More than 150 F-16B and 400 F-16D models are operating around the world.
While the US Air Force no longer operates the B model, Turkey, Israel, Belgium, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Denmark and Norway are among customers that must inspect their fleets.
defensenews

Belgium issues RFI for F-16 fighter replacement

The Belgian Ministry of Defence has issued a request for information (RFI) to five foreign government agencies regarding various aircraft that could replace the national air force's ageing F-16.
The RFI does not commit to a future purchase nor to the selection of a specific aircraft, but aims to gather information beyond the open-source data used for initial evaluation.
The RFI does not mention the number of aircraft to be acquired.
RFI has been issued to the Joint Program Office (JPO-F-35), the Navy Integrated Program Office (NIPO-F/A-18F Super Hornet), the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) of the French Ministry of Defence (Rafale), the Swedish Defence and Security Export Agency (FXM-JAS-39) and the UK Ministry of Defence, the RFI marks the first step in a process that will lead to the acquisition of a new fighter before the retirement of the F-16s starts in 2023.
The MoD prefers a government-to-government agreement, rather than a commercial purchase from a contractor.
The selection is likely to take place in 2015 or early 2016, to facilitate the aircraft's entry into service between 2023 and 2025, when the F-16s will retire.
The Belgian Air Force currently has 54 F-16s in its inventory and all of them have completed the mid-life update (MLU).
airforce-technology

Belgian air force introduces A321 transport

The Belgian air force's new Airbus A321 was officially presented on 20 May, as a replacement for an A330-300 which had been in use since late 2009.
The asset will be used to transport troops and conduct the emergency evacuation of people and cargo, if required.
Based at Brussels-Melsbroek, the grey-liveried aircraft has already conducted its first operational flight, to Bamako in Mali.
The new aircraft is leased from a Portuguese company.
flightglobal

Belgium to upgrade their F-16A/B Block 15

U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Belgium to upgrade its F-16A/B Block 15 Aircraft Mid Life Upgrade (MLU) aircraft.
Belgium has requested a possible sale to upgrade its F-16A/B Block 15 Mid Life Upgrade (MLU) aircraft with Operational Flight Program (OFP) tapes S1, M5 and M6. Upgrade includes: 69 LN-260 Embedded Global Positioning System-Inertial Navigation Systems (GPS-INS), 8 Remote Operated Video Enhanced Receivers IV (ROVER IV), 62 AN/APX-125 Transceivers (AN/APX-125 Air Identification Friend of Foe Radios), 32 KIV-78s, 1 Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS), 4 BRU-61/A Carriage Systems, and 43 AN/ARC-210(V) RT-1990(C) Ultra High Frequency/Very High Frequency (UHF/VHF) Receiver Transmitters. Also included are spare and repair parts, support equipment, repair and return services, software development/ integration, test and equipment, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor technical services, and other related elements of logistics and program support.
The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control.
dsca

United States takes over NATO air-policing mission in the Baltic states

The United States took over the NATO air-policing mission in the Baltic states on Friday following at the Air Base of the Lithuanian Air Force in Zokniai, replacing a Belgian air contingent.
The Americans will carry out the mission with four F-15 C Eagle fighter-jets.
The incoming rotation arrived from Royal Air Force (RAF) Station Lakenheath, United Kingdom, its home base, and consists of over 150 members. It will be the fourth time an American contingent is in charge of the mission.
NATO took over the duty of ensuring security of the Baltic airspace after Lithuania’s, Latvia’s and Estonia’s accession to NATO in March 2004. 14 allies have already taken charge of the Baltic air policing tasks since then.
lithuaniatribune

US Fighter Jets to Patrol Baltic Airspace

The US Air Force will patrol the airspace over the Baltic states for four months starting from January.
Four US F-15C Eagle fighter jets will replace the current Belgian F-16AM.
A round-the-clock mission to guard the airspace over Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia has been conducted since 2004 when the ex-Soviet republics joined NATO. The three states do not have their own air assets to ensure safety and security of national and NATO airspace.
Patrols have been carried out on a three- to four-month rotation basis by 14 NATO states. Deployments usually comprise four fighter planes and between 50 and 100 support personnel.
ria.ru

First A400M flies into retirement

Airbus Military has reduced the size of its "Grizzly" development fleet of A400M tactical transports to three, after retiring its first-flight example and placing another aircraft into storage.
First flown on 11 December 2009, MSN1 was the first of five test aircraft to be flown in support of the eight-nation A400M programme. The aircraft performed its final flight from Toulouse, France on 4 November
The aircraft will be preserved and put on public view, with Airbus's heritage department to decide on its final display location next year.
In addition to Grizzly 1's removal from use, aircraft MSN3 has also now been placed into long-term storage. It is not intended to fly again, but could be returned to flight-test duties if required.
Airbus Military's remaining three development aircraft will be used to support the ongoing introduction of additional capabilities for the A400M. Two of the type have been delivered to the French air force, with Turkey due to receive its first example before year-end. Further customers for the type are Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Spain and the UK, with a total order book for 174 aircraft.
flightglobal

Belgium to launch F-16 replacement process

Belgium will issue a request for information in early 2014 to potential suppliers of a replacement for its F-16s.
The Belgian military has a current active fleet of 54 F-16A/Bs, with a further five being kept in flyable condition as an attrition reserve. Flown from Florennes and Kleine Brogel air bases, these are the retained examples from original acquisition of 160 of the type.
Current plans call for Belgium’s remaining F-16s to start leaving service in 2023.
Belgium has a close operational collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Air Force, which plans to replace its own F-16s with a fleet of 37 Lockheed F-35A Joint Strike Fighters. The US manufacturer has previously identified Belgium as being a potential future customer for the stealthy type.
The Belgian and Dutch governments recently signed an agreement under which they will pool the future delivery of air policing cover for both nations and Luxembourg.
Four of Belgium’s F-16s are currently providing quick reaction cover for Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on behalf of NATO.
Six Belgian F-16s are also now supporting the NATO-led ISAForce in Afghanistan, operating from Kandahar airfield.
flightglobal

Belgium introduces first NH90 transport

Belgium's first NH Industries (NHI) NH90 tactical transport helicopter arrived at Beauvechain air base on 2 October.
Carrying the registration RN-05, the aircraft is one of eight NH90s on order for Belgium. Half of the aircraft fleet will be used to increase the air transport capability of the nation's air force, while the rest will be configured to perform search and rescue missions, replacing the ageing Westland Sea Kings. The first of these, RN-01, was delivered on 1 August 2013.
A second tactical transport, RN-06 is already undergoing flight-testing at NHI partner company Eurocopter's Marignane site in France. Belgian crews have also conducted training for the new rotorcraft at the location.
flightglobal

Belgium seeks 40 AIM-9X Block II missiles

Belgium has requested a possible sale of 40 AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II All-Up-Round Missiles, 36 CATM-9X-2 Captive Air Training Missiles, 2 CATM-9X-2 Block II Missile Guidance Units, and 10 AIM-9X-2 Block II Tactical Guidance Units, 4 Dummy Air Training Missiles, containers, missile support and test equipment, provisioning, spare and repair parts, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance and other related logistics support, and other related elements of logistics and program support.
dsca