Air Shows and Exhibitions

Announcement of the Belgian Air Force Days 2023, Kleine-Brogel on 8, 9 and 10 September

Share

Captain Vrieske and the F-16 © Benoît Denet

From 8 to 10 September 2023, Belgian Defence will once again be organising an international air show, the Belgian Air Force Days https://belgianairforcedays.be/nl/ at Kleine-Brogel air base. Preceded by a Spotters event on 8 September, young and old alike can come and admire a panoply of military and civilian aircraft from several European countries over the weekend of 9 and 10 September. The last major airshow organised by Defence was in 2018, five years ago! The BAF Days 2021 scheduled for the Florennes air base were cancelled at the last minute due to the COVID crisis.

Patrouille de France © Benoît Denet

In addition to a large number of aircraft on the ground, military and civilian aircraft can also be admired in the sky throughout the day. The Belgian Air Force https://www.mil.be/fr/a-propos-de-la-defense/composante-air/ is of course widely represented with its own demonstration teams, such as the A-109 Razzle Blades Demo helicopter or the NH-90 Cayman for a rescue and winching demonstration. But the spearhead of these demonstrations will obviously be the F-16 presented by Captain Steven de Vriese “Vrieske” the only non-American pilot to have more than 5,000 flight hours on this aircraft.

A-109 Razzle Blades © Benoît Denet
NH-90 NFH BAF © Benoît Denet

Our partner countries have also sent their ambassadors to demonstrate the precision of airborne military flight, including the Swiss F/A 18C, a Greek F-16, a Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon and the Patrouille de France. Vintage aircraft will also be on show, with a famous World War II Spitfire fighter and the impressive Saab J36 Draken and J37 Viggen from Sweden’s Historical Fighter.

Saab J37 Viggen © Benoît Denet

One presentation that is likely to leave a lasting impression on the public will be that of Major Kristin “Beo” Wolfe of the US Air Force and her F-35A. The first examples of this latest-generation fighter planned for Belgium will roll off the assembly line in 2024.

F-35 Demo © Benoît Denet

A wide range of entertainment is also offered on the ground by interactive stands, such as VR and F-35 flight simulation. Young and old can take their place in the cockpit of an F-35, an F-16 or an A-109BA. You can test night vision systems in the dark, or climb into an army vehicle.

For those interested in defence, this is the perfect opportunity to see what suits them best. The Next generation Air Component needs young, passionate talent. Information on tickets, flight crews, activities and other practical information is available on the website https://www.belgianairforcedays.be.

BAF F-16 Demo team © Benoît Denet
F/A-18C Swiss AF © Benoit Denet

This post was published on 1 September 2023 13:35

Benoit Denet

Photojournalist, Flying Loadmaster.

Published by
Benoit Denet

Recent Posts

American Airlines 787 suffers tyre failure after landing at Chicago O’Hare

An American Airlines Boeing 787-8 registered N806AA arriving from Barcelona suffered a tyre failure after…

21 October 2026

Norwegian adds four routes from Oslo, Copenhagen and Billund for 2027

Norwegian will launch four European routes in 2027, connecting Oslo and Copenhagen with Seville, Copenhagen…

21 October 2026

Qatar Airways to launch Western Sydney flights in December 2027

Qatar Airways plans to launch three weekly flights between Doha and Western Sydney International Airport…

21 October 2026

Norwegian adds new routes to Seville, Santiago de Compostela and Manchester

Norwegian will launch several new European routes for summer 2027, including direct flights from Oslo…

21 October 2026

Leipzig airport plot raises wider concerns over security of European aviation

The failed drone attack targeting a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport has taken…

21 October 2026

Lufthansa Group launches first consumer campaign for umbrella brand

Lufthansa Group launched its first group-level consumer advertising campaign on 21 October, seeking to raise…

21 October 2026