Lockheed rolls out first Belgian F-35 but software hitch delays homecoming
Belgium's request to purchase 34 F-35As was approved by the US State Department in January 2018. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
Lockheed Martin has unveiled Belgium’s inaugural F-35, however, Technology Refresher 3 (TR-3) software setbacks have kept the fighter in the US which has impacted deployment and training plans.
Belgium has been presented its first F-35A fighter jet by Lockheed Martin during a rollout ceremony at the manufacturer’s production facility.
‘The introduction of the F-35 within the Belgian Air Force will enable us to continue to fulfil all our missions in the coming decades, in cooperation with our allies and partners in NATO, the EU and beyond,’ said Admiral Michel Hofman, chief of defence for the Belgian Armed Forces.
As Shephard previously reported, however, the fifth-generation fighters will not leave Lockheed Martin’s factory for Europe but for the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) Luke Air Force base where Belgian pilots
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![AUSA 2026: New multiwarhead loitering munition enters increasingly competitive market]()
AUSA 2026: New multiwarhead loitering munition enters increasingly competitive market
Heaviside Industries has unveiled its new Tyr loitering munition at AUSA 2026 in Washington, DC, joining a growing field of manufacturers seeking to capitalise on billions of dollars in anticipated military spending.
-
![Middle Eastern demand opens fresh export prospects for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet]()
Middle Eastern demand opens fresh export prospects for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet
A proposed Saudi Arabian purchase of 48 stealth fighters could signal a broader regional opportunity for the F-35 as European programmes mature.
-
![US military plans multi-UAV trials with Northrop Grumman quantum-navigated Lumberjack]()
US military plans multi-UAV trials with Northrop Grumman quantum-navigated Lumberjack
An undisclosed US military branch is preparing to evaluate multiple Lumberjack Group 3 drones equipped with SandboxAQ’s AQNav magnetic-navigation system. Shephard spoke with Northrop Grumman and SandboxAQ to find out more.
-
![Akinci: How Baykar turned the UAV into an African and Middle Eastern export success]()
Akinci: How Baykar turned the UAV into an African and Middle Eastern export success
From billion-dollar industrial partnerships in the Middle East to rapid military off-the-shelf deliveries in Africa, Baykar has tailored the Akinci to the needs of very different customers. Defence Insight data shows how flexibility, price and Turkish supply-chain independence have helped drive exports.
