The F-35s, so-called fifth-generation stealth combat aircraft, are expected in Florennes “next fall” – a little behind the initial schedule, which was based on spring – to replace the F-16s. aging from 2028.
Five F-35s already delivered, but to the United States
The first five planes have already been delivered to Belgium from the United States. The first eight examples will in fact remain based in Arizona, at Luke Air Force Base, to provide initial training for 48 pilots and 120 mechanics. The first Belgian pilot to take command of an F-35, on December 12, Lieutenant-Colonel Pierre-Yves Libert, known as SO6, has behind him a career of twenty years as an F-16 pilot from Florennes.
Drones – but the military prefers to speak of “Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems” (RPAS) – of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian type are for their part hoped for next June. These MALE (Medium Altitude, Long Endurance) drones will provide reconnaissance and even ground attack capabilities – if the potential Arizona government coalition decides to arm them – unprecedented for the Belgian army.
These two new capabilities required very significant infrastructure work, indicated the base commander.
-A largely modernized infrastructure
Since October, the complex dedicated to SkyGuardians has been hosting flight simulators, produced by the Canadian firm CAE. The contract for its construction, according to a public-private partnership formula called “Design, Build & Maintain” (DBM, in French to draw, build and maintain), was awarded in 2021 to Belgian companies: the family construction group Cordeel and the design office ARCHIPELAGO AR-TE, for an amount of 25.7 million euros.
The construction of the site which will centralize all activities for the F-35 – at a significantly higher cost, of around 300 million euros – is progressing well. The provisional acceptance of the building was carried out at the end of last year and the American authorities gave their approval on Thursday to the installation of the four “Full Mission Simulators” in this hyper-secure building, in the face of threats of physical intrusion and cyber.
According to Colonel Maniet, the infrastructure work carried out in recent years or to be refined – a “choc” for the base – however go beyond, with the construction of a new taxiway (taxiway), the development of the beginnings of the runway at their ends, the installation of stop barriers at mid-track and the reinforcement security of the base perimeter, approximately twenty kilometers long in total.
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