Alpha Jet

Alpha Jet

(All pictures, unless stated are copyright of the Florennes Aviation Society)

Florennes Aviation Society Photogalleries » BAF aircraft in special schemes » Alpha Jet

Alpha Jet in the BAF

1-12 (of 56 found)

198 AT-19 Alpha-Jet 001 AT-19 - Belgian Air Force pilots flew Alpha Jets for the first time in 1978. This aircraft came into the Belgian Air Force inventory in October 1979 (Jacques Vincent)

AT-19 - Belgian Air Force pilots flew Alpha Jets for the first time in 1978. This aircraft came into the Belgian Air Force inventory in October 1979 (Jacques Vincent)

198 AT-20 Alpha-Jet 001 AT-20 - Wearing the Vietnam style colour scheme (four tones; light green, dark green, light maroon, and light white on the belly) (Jacques Vincent)

AT-20 - Wearing the Vietnam style colour scheme (four tones; light green, dark green, light maroon, and light white on the belly) (Jacques Vincent)

AT-31 - One of the last three aircraft delivered (this one in May 1980) (Jacques Vincent)

AT-06 - High above Corsica in February 1982 and carrying a gun pod (Coll. E. Hourant)

AT-08 - Belgian Air Force Alpha Jets never wore squadron insignias. Above Corsica in February 1982 (Coll. E. Hourant)

199 AT-05 Alpha-Jet 001 AT-05 - Wearing an unusual colour scheme! Once, the paintshop was out of colour and some aircraft flew in an incomplete livery. Taken at the Florennes Open Door in September 1992 (Olivier Van Gorp)

AT-05 - Wearing an unusual colour scheme! Once, the paintshop was out of colour and some aircraft flew in an incomplete livery. Taken at the Florennes Open Door in September 1992 (Olivier Van Gorp)

199 AT-08 Alpha-Jet 001 AT-08 - The very first aircraft to wear the new tactical grey camouflage, it showed up at Beauvechain in the new livery in june 1993 (Jacques Vincent)

AT-08 - The very first aircraft to wear the new tactical grey camouflage, it showed up at Beauvechain in the new livery in june 1993 (Jacques Vincent)

199 AT-08 Alpha-Jet 002 AT-08 - This livery appeared in the early nineties, very similar to the three-tone scheme adopted by the F-16s (the Alpha Jet's colour appearance is supposed to vary in intensity depending on the light). This one was out of the paint shop in june 1993 and was photographed at Beauvechain that same year (Jacques Vincent)

AT-08 - This livery appeared in the early nineties, very similar to the three-tone scheme adopted by the F-16s (the Alpha Jet's colour appearance is supposed to vary in intensity depending on the light). This one was out of the paint shop in june 1993 and was photographed at Beauvechain that same year (Jacques Vincent)

199 AT-13 Alpha-Jet 001 AT-13 - Air to air shot (Olivier

AT-13 - Air to air shot (Olivier "Pappy" Van Gorp)

AT-08 - Above a wintery Belgian landscape near Brustem (Coll. E. Hourant)

1987 AT-29 Alpha-Jet 001 AT-29 - Painted to celebrate 40 Years of presence at Brustem. For that occasion, the aircraft wore a big

AT-29 - Painted to celebrate 40 Years of presence at Brustem. For that occasion, the aircraft wore a big "40" for a couple of weeks. Taken at Brustem in June 1987 (Didier Kories)

1987 AT-29 Alpha-Jet 002 AT-29 - Demo aicraft flown by

AT-29 - Demo aicraft flown by "Louitje" Baum in the 1987-1989 period (Jacques Vincent)

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The Alpha Jet in service with the Belgian Air Force

In order to replace the T-33 Shooting Stars and the Fouga Magisters, a contract for the delivery of 33 Alpha Jets was signed on 11 October 1973. The first aircraft (AT-01) was accepted by the Belgian Air Force on 6 October 1978, reaching Brustem training base on 13 December of that year. The last Alpha Jet (AT-33) was delivered on 15 July 1980. First unit to receive the French-German trainer was 9 Squadron (Green Cocotte) followed by 11 Squadron (Bat) and finally, a year later, 7 Squadron (Red Cocotte). At the time, these three squadrons were part of the Centre de Perfectionnement/Vervolmakingscentrum (Improvement Centre) at Brustem air base. Its designation changed to Wing d'entraînement et d'instruction/Opleidings en Trainingswing (Training and Instruction Wing) in April 1984 and to 9 Wing d'entraînement/9 Trainingswing (9 Training Wing) in 1987. All Alpha Jets were transferred to 1 Wing d'entraînement/1 Trainingswing (1 Training Wing) at Beauvechain on 19 November 1996 following the inactivation of 9 Wing and the closure of Brustem.

The Alpha Jets are primarily used for pilot training. They cover the Advanced Flying Training (AFT) and Initial Operational Training (IOT) part of the training syllabus. Additionally the aircraft is used for Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) and is also flown by staff pilots to maintain their flying hours while they are assigned at Headquarters. For this task, a Continuity Flight has been created.

Starting in 2000, the Alpha Jets went through an upgrade program. This included a new HOTAS-technology stick, a Smart Head-Up Display (SHUD) and an Up Front Control Panel (UFCP) in the front cockpit. The rear cockpit received a Smart Multifunction Display and a video recorder. New navigation equipment were also installed including an Inertial Navigation System (INS) combined with a Global Positioning System (GPS). With this retrofit, the new expected retirement date for the Alpha Jet is 2015.

Since summer 2004, a detachment of seven modernised Alpha Jets (Alpha Jet +) has been set up at the French training base of Cazaux. The size of the detachment will be progressively increased until it reaches 25 aircraft in the fall of 2005 under the control of 11 Squadron as part of the French-Belgian Advanced Jet Training School . The Initial Operational Training phase of the syllabus is conducted at Cazaux with the French taking advantage of the modernised Alpha Jets and the Belgian pupils being trained by French instructor pilots. Once all Alpha Jets are transferred to France , 7 Squadron will only operate the Fougas at Beauvechain.

Belgian Air Force operators of the Alpha Jet

Wings

Centre de Perfectionnement/Vervolmakingscentrum: 13 December 1978 - 1 April 1984

Wing d'Instruction et d'Entraînement/Opleidings en Trainingswing 1 April 1984 - 1 September 1987

9 Wing d'Entraînement/9 Trainingswing: 1 September 1987 - 18 November 1996

1 Wing d'Entraînement/1 Trainingswing: 19 November 1996 – September 2005

Insignia : The Wolf

Squadrons

	7 Squadron : January 1980 - 30 August 2001 Centre de Formation et d'Evaluation/Vormings en Evaluatie Centrum - 7 Squadron : 30 August 2001 – September 2005 Insignia : Red Cocotte
	9 Squadron : December 1978 - 28 June 1985 Centre de Formation et d'Evaluation/Vormings en Evaluatie Centrum : 28 June 1985 - 2000 Centre de Formation et d'Evaluation/Vormings en Evaluatie Centrum - 9 Squadron : 2000 - 30 August 2001 Insigna : Green Cocotte
	11 Squadron : August 1979 – still current Insignia : The Bat
	Continuity Flight embedded into 7 Squadron: 29 September 1982 - 20 September 1983 Continuity Flight : 5 April 1993 - 20 November 1995 Continuity Flight embedded into 11 Squadron : 20 November 1995 - still current

Thanks to all the contributors ! This allowed us to gather interesting material to set up this project.
Special thanks to V. Pirard/AviaScribe

Links

www.alphajet.be

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