The first technicians responsible for the maintenance of the Belgian F-35 fighter jets completed their training at the military airport “Eglin“ in Florida, the Kingdom's Ministry of Defense announced. A total of 120 technicians, 48 pilots and 14 instructors are undergoing a training course, reported the Belgian news agency "Belga", quoted by BTA.
A total of 36 technicians from the first group completed the training. Most of them will provide F-35 technical support at the Florence air base, which is currently under construction. The first aircraft will be delivered next year.
The training at military airfield “Eglin“ includes theoretical and practical classes on full-scale models of the aircraft. Part of the lessons are conducted by instructors of the manufacturer “Lockheed Martin”.
The Belgian Ministry of Defense announced that the technicians graduated with distinction. The next stage of the training will be held at the “Luke“ near the city of Phoenix in Arizona. There they will spend between three and six months gaining additional hands-on experience with real aircraft.
These technicians will be responsible for aircraft maintenance at the “Florence“ near Namur. The first F-35s are expected to arrive there next year, and in 2027 at “Kleine Bruegel”.
F-35 pilots are also trained in Arizona. The length of training depends on the pilot's experience. If they have previously flown the F-16, they must complete six weeks of theoretical instruction, 36 hours of simulator training and 26 actual flight hours.
In 2018, the Belgian government decided to purchase 34 F-35 units at a cost of €3.8 billion to replace its aging fleet of F-16s. The purchase also includes eight flight simulators.