Our 2025 photoflight season began with an unexpected highlight: a historic opportunity to capture Belgium’s first F-35s in dedicated air-to-air sessions. Although the year was only just underway, the Belgian Air Force invited us to join them at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona for the debut imagery of their new jets—an offer impossible to refuse. With our team’s roots firmly in Belgium, this mission carried particular significance.
The buildup to the flight was filled with anticipation. Belgian F-35 pilots complete their training at Luke AFB as part of the global F-35 program, operating with the 312th Fighter Squadron “Scorpions.” It was here, under the intense Arizona sun, that we prepared the Skyvan photoship for a landmark sortie. The early morning haze gradually gave way to clear skies, revealing perfect conditions for what would become one of the defining photo missions of our season.
For a full forty minutes, two Belgian F-35s positioned themselves behind and alongside the Skyvan, offering an extraordinary variety of formations and angles. Belgium is the first nation to equip its F-35 fleet with full-colour national markings, and they stood out brilliantly against the desert backdrop—bold, distinctive, and unmistakably Belgian. To bring even more national character into the imagery, the jet flown by “Fridge” carried the Belgian flag, creating a striking visual signature throughout the session.
Onboard the photoship, we welcomed photographers and a videographer from the Belgian Air Force, who documented this milestone alongside us. Much of the material captured during the flight will be used in Belgium to introduce and promote this new chapter in the nation’s defence capability.
This gallery presents the best moments from that unforgettable day: two brand-new Belgian F-35s, flawless desert light, and a mission that marked the beginning of an exciting new era for Belgian military aviation. Plans to continue documenting their journey were already taking shape as we touched back down.
