Belgian F-16 fleet resumes flights
Belgian Air Component F-16s return to operational status, having been grounded earlier in March following an engine incident in February.
The Belgian Air Component gradually resumed F-16 flights last week, including a leading role in Quick Reaction Alert operations over the Benelux region.
Belgian F-16 operations in Jordan (under Operation Desert Falcon) also resumed, the Belgian MoD noted on 19 March.
The entire F-16 fleet (54 aircraft according to Shephard Defence Insight) was grounded in early March following an incident in February, when part of the variable exhaust of the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine on an F-16 became detached after take-off.
‘Additional guidance from the manufacturer and specific inspections and repairs by technical personnel at Kleine Brogel and Florennes airbases have enabled the resumption of air operations on F-16,’ the MoD stated.
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