Former Belgium F-16s for JordanOn the morning of Wednesday September 10th 2008, the 4 ex-Belgium F-16’s took of from Kleine-Brogel airbase (ICAO: EBBL) in Belgium, on a route with refuelling stops at Aviano (Italy) and Souda (Greece). Their destination was the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan (ICAO: ) where the F-16s will be integrated in Nr. 2 squadron. During their operational lifetime in Europe, the aircraft carried the serials FA-58, FA-61, FB-08, FB-04 and the Belgium roundels. 1 day prior to delivery, the Jordanian roundel and the Jordanian serial (in Arabic) were applied to the aircraft.Around the year of 2000 the Belgium government decided to decrease the number of active aircraft to 72, in a plan called ‘Strategic Plan 2000 - 2015'. Surplus aircraft were stored at the Weelde airbase (EBWE) and in 2006 the Jordanian government started negotiations to buy these surplus aircraft. In 2007 the Dutch and Belgium governments signed an agreement to sell surplus F-16’s to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF, Silah al-Jaw Almalaki al-Urduni (source wikipedia)). The Belgium government sold 16 F-16 A and B models, the Dutch government sold 6 F-16 B models. All 22 F-16’s have had a Midlife Update (MLU) previously. 6 Jordanian pilots flying the ex-Belgium F-16s were trained in the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) at Kleine-Brogel last year. While some 68 Jordanian technicians were trained at the Belgium Air Force school at Saffraanberg . All F-16’s should be delivered in 2008 to Jordan. The second batch of aircraft is expected to leave mid October 2008.
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