This page lists the equipment of the Belgian Air Force, the air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces. After the end of the Cold War the Belgian Air Force was combined into the overall Armed Forces and many units were disbanded. As a part of NATO, the Belgian Air Component committed aircraft and participated in the NATO Nuclear Weapon Sharing Program. In 2024 Belgian Air Component was renamed the Belgian Air Force.

Aeroplanes ModelVariantImageTypeQuantityNotes Combat aircraft General Dynamics F-16 Fighting FalconF-16AM 4th generation multirole fighter aircraft 44

To be replaced by the F-35A by 2030.

Notes:

Dutch and Belgian production of parts under licence, assembly by Fokker and SABCA. 160 F-16A and F16B purchased, 72 went through a MLU. 30 F-16 to be donated to Ukraine by 2028. Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIF-35A Multirole stealth fighter 7 The F-35A is the successor of the F-16AM.

34 ordered in 2018 Eleven approved for order in 2025 (Italian assembly) Ten additional planned Eight based at the Luke AFB for training (listed in "Training aircraft" section of this table). Transport (and tanker) Airbus A400M— Strategic transport / Tactical airlift / Aerial refueling 7 Based at the Melsbroek Air Base with an additional A400M from the Luxembourg Air Wing.

Two A400M are tanker variants with a further two refuelling kits that can be used on any A400M to refuel other aircraft. Dassault Falcon 7X— VIP transport 2 Aircraft leased. Training aircraft Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIF-35A Operational conversion training aircraft 8 Based at the Luke AFB for training. Four more F-35 listed in the "Combat aircraft" section of this table. General Dynamics F-16 Fighting FalconF-16BM Operational conversion training aircraft 8 F-16BM is the twin-seater variant of the F-16, used to train pilots. They will be replaced by the F-35A by 2030. Pilatus PC-7 PC-7 MKX Basic training aircraft, single engine turboprop 0 Approval to purchase 18 aircraft in November 2025. SIAI-Marchetti SF.260— Ab initio training aircraft, single engine turboprop 19 36 SF.260M/D were purchased in 1969, with some losses since. Aircraft used for basic flight training.

The Belgian Air Force was looking for a successor to this aircraft. In November 2025 the PC-7 was ordered as replacement.

Helicopters ModelVariantImageTypeQuantityNotes Combat helicopter NHIndustries NH90NH90 NFH SAR / Utility 4 The NH90 NFH is operated by the Belgian Air Force in profit of the Belgian Navy.

Purchase approved in April 2007, and it entered service from 2013 to 2015.

MLU approved with the plan STAR, it will bring an ASW capability to the helicopter. AgustaWestland AW109A109BA Light utility helicopter 10 A total of 46 A109BA were ordered in 1988, received between 1992 and 1994. Twelve helicopters remain in service.

As part of the plan STAR, the A109BA will be replaced by the Airbus H145M. Airbus H145H145M (illustration) Multirole helicopter 2 (+ 13 on order) The Airbus H145M is the successor of the NH90 TTH and A109BA. Fifteen helicopters for the Belgian Armed Forces were ordered in June 2024, with delivery to start in 2026.Multirole helicopter / Federal Police0 (+ 5 on order)The Belgian government also approved a purchase of five Airbus H145M in November 2025, three of which will be available for both Air Force and Federal Police. The two other were earlier purchased for the Federal Police under the Minister of Interior, but maintenance will also be done by the Air Force.

Unmanned aerial vehicles ModelVariantImageTypeRoleQuantityNotes General Atomics MQ-9 ReaperMQ-9B SkyGuardian MALE, fixed-wing UCAV Medium-altitude long-enduranceSurveillance and reconnaissance, targeted strikes 3 (+ 1 on order)2 ground stations for the 4 MQ-9B.

Aircraft owned externally

Co-owned aeroplanes The Belgian Air Force participates in some multinational programs to provide some support capabilities that it does not need full-time such as tanker transport aircraft and early-warning capabilities.

ModelVariantOperatorsImageOriginTypeQuantityNotes Aerial refueling Airbus A330 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker TransportA330-200 MRTT Multinational MRTT Fleet

Tanker / Transport aircraft / Medical evacuation 10 (+ 2 on order) Based at the Eindhoven Air Base in the Netherlands.

Two ordered in July 2016 (first members Netherlands and Luxembourg) Five ordered in September 2018 (Germany and Norway joined the programme) One ordered in February 2018 (Belgium joined the programme) One ordered in September 2020 (Luxembourg increases participation) One ordered in March 2023 (Belgium increases participation) Two ordered in June 2025 (arrival of Sweden and Denmark in the programme)

The first aircraft entered service in June 2020, the ninth in February 2025. Air surveillance Boeing E-3 SentryE-3A NAEW&CF programme NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force

AEW&C Airborne early warning and control 14 Based at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany.

18 E-3 used initially.

Leased aeroplanes ModelVariantImageTypeQuantityNotes Dassault Falcon 7X— VIP transport 2 Aircraft leased.

Supplied by a contractor ModelVariantImageTypeQuantityNotes Airbus H145— (illustration) Training helicopter 3 Training provided by a contractor, NHV ().

Weapons systems The Belgian Air Force has various weapons systems, primarily for the F-16 and F-35, including air-to-air missiles, such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder, and the AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM, guided and unguided bombs as well as guidance kits such as Paveway.

Belgium also ordered Brimstone and Hellfire air-launched ground attack missiles for the Skyguardian drones, as well as Joint Strike Missiles, air-launched cruise missile, for the F-35's.

The Belgian Air Force also stores B61 nuclear bombs at the Kleine Brogel Air Base as part of NATO's nuclear deterrence plans.

References

External links

Official website Belgian Air Force | DEFENSIE Uw toekomst. Onze missie. Official website Belgian Ministry of Defense - News | Belgiandefencenews.be