Lightning strikes Belgian F-16BM during training sortie

A Lockheed Martin F-16BM Block 20 (MLU) Fighting Falcon operated by the Belgian Air Component was forced to make a precautionary landing at Ostend-Bruges International Airport after being struck by lightning on September 14.

The incident occurred at approximately 1200hrs (local time), while the two-seat fighter-trainer – serial FB-20 (c/n 6J-20) – was conducting a local training sortie out of Kleine-Brogel Air Base, home to the Belgian Air Component’s 10th Tactical Wing. While flying on approach into Koksijde Airport, the F-16BM was struck by lightning, causing the aircraft to suffer an onboard electrical failure. The approach was subsequently aborted and the fighter’s Emergency Power Unit (EPU) was activated.

The Belgian Air Component currently operates 8 two-seat F-16BM (MLU) Fighting Falcons in the fighter-trainer role, alongside 39 single-seat F-16AMs.
The Belgian Air Component currently operates 8 two-seat F-16BM (MLU) Fighting Falcons in the fighter-trainer role, alongside 39 single-seat F-16AMs. Joe Campion

As a result, the F-16BM made a precautionary landing at Ostend-Bruges International Airport and local commercial air traffic in and out of the installation was temporarily halted, resulting in two inbound commercial flights being diverted to Brussels International Airport. A flight carrying football players from Club Brugge to Porto, Portugal, was also delayed. Two crew members were aboard the F-16BM at the time of the incident and no injuries have been reported as a result of this lightning strike.

As the EPU uses hydrazine as fuel – a toxic substance – a specialised firefighting unit from Koksijde was dispatched to Ostend-Bruges to deal with the incident. Given the toxic nature of hydrazine and its presence in the atmosphere, the Belgian Ministry of Defence (MOD) asked local residents to keep windows and doors closed, and people travelling from Ostend-Bruges were told to remain inside the terminal building while measurements were carried out to check whether the toxic substance was still present after the F-16BM landed.

Belgium currently operates eight two-seat F-16BM fighter-trainers alongside 39 single-seat F-16AM (MLU) Fighting Falcon multi-role fighters. The F-16AM/BM (MLU) fleet will ultimately be replaced by 34 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation multi-role stealth fighters. Deliveries are scheduled to take place between 2023 and 2030, with the initial F-35As first being based at Luke Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona, for training purposes.