Analysis Belgium F-35 Affordable but takes longer to reach FOC? Imagine if we going to have them...

[Gundala]

I know some of us would love to see F-35 deal goes thru here. But we are not going to talk about that. Instead we going to see Belgium as F-16 users transition them self to F-35 by gradually droping all the F-16. There are 2 things that caught my attention. First is the acquisition cost (without weapon) for 34 F-35 A block 4 totalling $4.61 bil. Thats pretty affordable to me comparing to other off the shelf options the world have.

https://www.airspace-review.com/202...n-memiliki-kemampuan-nuklir-dan-konvensional/

Belgia pada Oktober 2018 telah memesan 34 F-35A kepada Amerika Serikat senilai 3,8 miliar euro (4,61 miliar dolar AS). Belgia dijadwalkan akan menerima empat pesawat pertama jet siluman ini pada 2023.

But take it with a grain of salt since like always in this kind of deal the details will always be classified. Another things is from different sources it said that it will come with simulator which going to speed up the training process of converting their F-16 pilots to F-35. BUT when I read about the time line of them to have FOC in 2030 I was shocked! The first batch will arrive in 2023 in Luke AFB USA, then the pilots will train there and technician as well. It will take 7 years to reach FOC from the moment they get the first plane? Wow, F-35 must be something totally different in comparison to F-16...

https://www.edrmagazine.eu/belgian-f-35s-to-reach-foc-in-late-2030

Beside the aircraft, Belgium will also receive a spare engine and four full mission simulators for each of the two air bases that will host the F-35 wing

The first Belgian F-35 will in fact be delivered in 2023, however the first eight aircraft will remain at Luke AFB where they will be used to train Belgian pilots, the plan aiming at identifying the first F-16 pilots that will go through the conversion programme in mid 2022, maintainers training to start in 2023

Thanks to the availability of the simulators, which will “fly” 4,500 per year, the F-35 will have a standard activity of 7,950 hours per year that might increase to 9,150 in case of operation, the declared Level of Ambition declared by Belgium once the new aircraft will reach the FOC being of a package of six aircraft for unlimited periods and two aircraft for Quick Reaction Alert duties, the Belgian Air Component working in team with the Royal Netherlands Air Force, each nation providing two-week shifts ensuring 24/7 air dominance over the two countries. Overall the F-35 force will require 2,100 personnel, a reduction of nearly 20% compared to the current F-16 force.

...to be reached in 2029 and marking the IOC. These however will be capable of carrying out most missions with the exception of the SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defences), a mission new to the Belgian Air Component. One year later the Belgian F-35 will finally reach the FOC...

Another things that impress me is how Belgium planned their conversion from F-16 to F-35 in detail, tho we still have yet to see the result but it look good/realistic and down to earth kinda plan on paper.

All these make me wonder are we ready for this kind of long term commitment if somehow we manage to get our hands on F-35? Are we willing to fund and send our pilot to train overseas for 7 years and paid the necessary expense due to the fact that it would be done in other country AFB? Is our technician team has the capability to do the conversion?

To be honest I dont have the answers to those questions, perhaps our TNI AU and PT.DI have more capacity to answer it. But regardless F-35 is the most sophisticated single engine Gen 5 fighter in the world right now. It will take a very serious commitment to have them and another extra large commitment to reach FOC. Are we really up for it? Makes me wonder, perhaps the reason US told us to have F-16V as stepping stone do have a valid ground and not just a sweet talk.

 

[trishna_amrta]

But regardless F-35 is the most sophisticated single engine Gen 5 fighter in the world right now. It will take a very serious commitment to have them and another extra large commitment to reach FOC. Are we really up for it? Makes me wonder, perhaps the reason US told us to have F-16V as stepping stone do have a valid ground and not just a sweet talk.

I extremely doubt we have the capability to reach FOC with F-35A. Even reaching IOC is a "maybe" at best. I believe the US is sincere enough when they push both Viper and block III SuperBug as a stepping stone, although obviously there are other reason such as political reliability.