One of Four Belgian F-35s Fails to Arrive Due to Technical Fault

One of four F-35A fighter jets bound for Belgium failed to arrive due to a technical fault, according to Aviation24.be, citing the Belgian Ministry of Defense.

The aircraft were part of Belgium’s first batch of F-35As. They departed from Fort Worth, Texas, where Lockheed Martin manufactures the jets, and made a stop in the Azores for refueling and inspection.

After system checks, one aircraft (tail number FL011) remained behind due to what engineers described as “technical uncertainty regarding its flight characteristics.”

The ministry did not provide details about the issue but said the aircraft is expected to arrive soon to complete the squadron.

Technical issues have been reported on previous F-35 deliveries. On August 7, 2025, three of four F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing jets landed at Nyutabaru Air Base in Japan, while one remained in the United States for additional maintenance and inspection. The U.S. later informed Japan’s Self-Defense Forces of a slight delay in its arrival.

On October 13, 2025, Belgium received its first F-35s at Florennes Air Base in the province of Namur, marking the start of the country’s transition from F-16s, which are set to be phased out and transferred to Ukraine.

Militarnyi previously reported that a British Royal Air Force F-35B Lightning II made an emergency landing in Japan.