In the early 1980s, Belgium began introducing its first F-16A Block 15 aircraft, which were assembled at the SABCA plant. To keep them up to date in the following years, the OCU (Operational Capability Upgrade) project was launched. This project included upgrading the computer systems and avionics, integrating new weapons, and installing a more powerful engine.

Following the cancellation of the Mirage 5 modernization program in the late 1980s, the MMRIU (Matra Missile/Radar Integration Upgrade) project was launched. The goal of this project was to integrate systems developed for the Mirage 5 into the F-16A fighter for eventual adoption. Consequently, one of the F-16A OCU aircraft was equipped with Matra R550 Magic 2 air-to-air missiles. However, in the early 1990s, after a series of test launches and the end of the Cold War, cuts were made to Belgium’s military budget, and the MMRIU project was canceled.

The Belgian F-16A OCU was introduced in Update 2.49 "Tusk Force" in the French aviation research tree. Unlike the Thai F-16A OCU, this variant is geared more toward air-to-air combat than ground attack. It can only carry AIM-9M and Matra R550 Magic 2 IR missiles against air targets. Only two AS-30L Nord air-to-ground missiles are available for destroying armored vehicles, and these can be guided using the ATLIS II pod. Otherwise, it is the same F-16A, offering excellent flight characteristics, speed, maneuverability, and climb rate. Drawbacks include the absence of an HMD and lack of a thermal imager in the targeting pod.