Lockheed Martin completes assembly of Belgium's first F-35 Lightning II fighter, but Belgium refuses to accept the aircraft due to TR-3 software problems

Lockheed Martin will soon complete assembly of the first fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter jet for the Belgian Air Force. The aircraft will soon receive a stealth coating.

Here's What We Know

The F-35A is being assembled at the US company's plant in Texas. Lockheed Martin has joined the main sections of the airframe and will soon install the fairing. Next, the fighter will undergo a series of tests, in which specialists will test the operation of avionics and the F135 powerplant. After that, the aircraft will receive a stealth coating.

This and another F-35A Lightning II will be ready by December 2023, but the Belgian Ministry of Defence has refused to accept the aircraft. The reason is a Technology Refresh 3 software problem that caused the Pentagon to halt F-35 deliveries last month.

The problem is expected to be resolved in the second quarter of next year. The fighter jets will go to the US Air Force's Luke Air Force Base for pilot training. The first aircraft will not arrive in Belgium until 2025 at the earliest. The European country ordered a total of 34 fifth-generation fighters five years ago to replace 54 F-16 Fighting Falcon units.

Source: @BeAirForce