The Belgian Ministry of Defence is offering its fleet of twenty five Alpha Jet 1B+s, spares, a simulator and technical documentation for sale; they will be available from December 2019. Bids were to be submitted by November 7, 2018.
The aircraft have, since 2004, been used by the Franco Belgian Fighter Pilot School, known as the Advanced Jet Training School (AJeTS), at BA120 Cazaux, France but ceased operations on October 11, 2018.
AJeTS has trained 165 Belgian and 215 French pilots through the years. Belgian fast-jet training will now take place at the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) School, at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.
As well as the age of the Alpha Jet, 33 of which were bought in the early 1970s, Belgium’s selection of the F-35A Lightning II for its next fighter likely impacted the decision to abruptly terminate the type’s career.
