Belgian Air Force unveils new livery for future Pilatus PC-7 MKX trainer fleet

The Belgian Air Force has officially revealed the livery that will adorn its future fleet of 18 Pilatus PC-7 MKX training aircraft, marking another milestone in the country’s ambitious pilot training modernisation programme. The unveiling took place at Beauvechain Air Base in the presence of representatives from the Belgian Air Force and Swiss manufacturer Pilatus Aircraft.

The new design combines a low-visibility military grey finish with distinctive international orange markings on the nose, wing tips and tail. The high-visibility orange areas, traditionally associated with military training aircraft, are intended to improve the aircraft’s visibility during training operations while giving the fleet a distinctive Belgian identity.

Belgium selected the PC-7 MKX in late 2025 to replace the ageing SIAI-Marchetti SF.260, which has served as the Belgian Air Force’s basic trainer for more than five decades. Under the contract, Pilatus will deliver 18 aircraft together with an integrated training system that includes full-flight simulators, computer-based instruction, mission planning and debriefing systems, as well as new infrastructure at Beauvechain Air Base. Initial deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027, with pilot training expected to start in 2028.

The PC-7 MKX features a modern “smart cockpit” based on the Garmin G3000 PRIME avionics suite, providing a training environment designed to ease the transition to advanced trainers and frontline combat aircraft such as Belgium’s future Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II. Belgium joins the Netherlands and France as one of the first European operators of the new-generation trainer.