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Belgian Air Force Days 2026 – 80 Years of History, Ready for the Future
 

After a ten-year absence, the Belgian Air Force Days returned to Florennes Air Base. The 2026 edition marked a special milestone: 80 years of the Belgian Air Force. While many airshows mainly revolve around spectacular flying displays, Belgian Defence clearly used this event to show how the Air Component is developing into a modern air force ready for the decades ahead.

Visitors to the event effectively saw two eras side by side. On one hand, there was history, represented by historic aircraft such as the Supermarine Spitfire. On the other, there was the latest generation of aviation systems that will define the face of the Belgian Air Force in the years to come. The formation flight of a Spitfire with a Belgian F-35A was perhaps the symbolic moment of the weekend: eighty years of development brought together in a single flypast..

From F-16 to F-35

The biggest change is undoubtedly the introduction of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II. The F-16 has formed the backbone of Belgium’s fighter fleet since the late 1970s, but it is gradually reaching the end of its operational life. The F-35 will take over that role in the coming years.

The transition to the F-35 means much more than simply acquiring a new aircraft. The F-35 is designed as a flying sensor system that collects, processes and immediately shares information with other units. This also changes the way air operations are conducted. Speed and armament remain important, but the vast amount of information the aircraft can gather and distribute is increasingly decisive.

Belgium is thereby joining a growing group of NATO countries that have also chosen the F-35, including the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Italy, the United Kingdom, Finland and Poland. This shared choice ensures a high degree of interoperability during international missions, joint training and logistical support.

Yet the F-16’s story is not quite over. Even in the final phase of its Belgian service, the Fighting Falcon continues to demonstrate its operational value. Recent Belgian trials with LAU-131A/A rocket pods and Thales FZ275 laser-guided rockets show how the aircraft can still be adapted to emerging missions, including the counter-UAS role. In an era in which inexpensive drones are becoming an increasingly serious threat, this gives the veteran F-16 a very contemporary relevance: not as yesterday’s aircraft, but as a proven platform still capable of delivering practical and affordable solutions for today’s air force.

Florennes itself is also visibly changing with the arrival of the new aircraft. Around the air base, extensive construction work is underway on new infrastructure, including secure shelter complexes, maintenance facilities and adapted operational buildings. During the Air Force Days, it was clearly visible how a Belgian F-35 taxied from the newly equipped, heavily secured shelter area to the runway — a tangible illustration of the modernisation currently taking place.  

A New Helicopter for a Broad Range of Missions

The fighter fleet is not the only part being renewed. In the coming years, the familiar Agusta A109 will also make way for the Airbus H145M. Where the A109 was used for many years for training, liaison duties and light operational missions, among other tasks, the H145M offers significantly greater capabilities. The aircraft is used worldwide for transport, special operations, medical evacuation and support to ground forces. Thanks to its modular design, the helicopter can be adapted relatively easily for different missions.

The choice also fits within a broader European trend in which more and more countries are selecting the H145. This standardisation makes joint training, maintenance and international cooperation simpler and more efficient.

2 Squadron Regains a Reconnaissance Role

Belgium is also taking a major step forward in the unmanned domain. During the Belgian Air Force Days, the MQ-9B SkyGuardian was prominently present. The new SkyGuardian will play an important role within 2 Squadron, a unit with a rich history. The squadron was established after the Second World War as a reconnaissance unit and flew aircraft such as the Spitfire, Hawker Hunter and later the Mirage 5 in the tactical reconnaissance role. After the disappearance of manned reconnaissance aircraft, that tradition continued, but it is now being given a contemporary form with modern remotely piloted aircraft.

The MQ-9B has a considerably greater range and longer endurance than its predecessor and can collect information over an operational area for extended periods. This makes the aircraft an important addition to the information position of both Belgium and NATO.