Belgium Expands Air Power with Purchase of 11 More F-35 Fighter Jets

Belgium has decided to buy 11 additional F-35 fighter jets, strengthening its commitment to modernizing its military. This latest purchase will bring the total number of F-35s ordered by Belgium to 45, a significant leap from the original plan announced in 2018 to replace the country’s aging F-16 fleet.

Belgium’s Defence Minister Theo Francken confirmed the move, which comes with an estimated price tag of 1.5 billion euros (around $1.7 billion). So far, eight F-35s have already been assembled, and the ninth aircraft is expected to arrive in Belgium this autumn. The country’s first F-35 was rolled out by Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2023.

This latest acquisition is a part of Belgium’s broader military revamp under the “Strategic Vision Defense 2025” plan. Instead of focusing on overseas missions, Belgium is now prioritizing stronger combat readiness at home. The shift also includes plans to increase military personnel by one-third by 2034, and invest heavily in multi-domain capabilities—spanning air, sea, land, and cyber.

Beyond fighter jets, Belgium is committing over 33.7 billion euros (around $39.6 billion) to modernize its armed forces. This includes:

• 10 NASAMS anti-aircraft batteries, with another 3 batteries planned to support its multi-layered SBAMD defense system, totaling around 4 billion euros.

• A third anti-submarine warfare frigate, costing 1.3 billion euros, developed jointly with the Netherlands.

• A third MQ-9B SkyGuardian drone, costing 254 million euros, expected to join the force by 2027.

• Around $13.8 billion will be set aside for ground systems and motorized vehicles, showing a serious push toward building a robust and modern army.

Belgium’s defense strategy underlines its desire to become a more reliable and capable NATO ally. As stated in the policy document:

“A country like Belgium can only remain free and sovereign by committing itself to loyal and powerful partners. And we can only count on their loyalty if we are willing to stand in solidarity in their defense.”

With its entire F-35 fleet expected to be operational by 2031, Belgium is clearly setting its sights on being future-ready in an increasingly tense global security landscape.