The Belgian Defence - Air Component (BDAC) ordered 33 Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jets as replacement for the T-33A T-Bird and CM-170R Magister in September 1973. Deliveries commenced in 1978 and with this order the BDAC was the first major foreign customer to buy the Alpha Jet 1B. The BDAC Alpha jets, where assembled by Société Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques (SABCA). The last Alpha Jet was delivered in 1980.

The Alpha Jets where taken in to service with 7 and 11 Smaldeel (Squadron) as part of  Ecole de Pilotage Avancé/Voortgezette Vliegopleidingsschool at Brustem Air Base. In 1987 the Wing was renamed to Wing O&TE and in 1987 it was changed to 9 Wing (Training). During the first major reorganization in de mid 90ies, the BDAC decided to put all training assets under 1 Wing. The Alpha Jets where moved from Brustem Air Base to Beauvechain Air Base in November 1996.

The Belgian aircraft have been updated by SABCA to Alpha Jet 1B+ configuration, featuring a laser-gyro inertial navigation system with a GPS receiver, a HUD in the front cockpit and a HUD repeater in the rear, a video recorder and other small improvements. The initial 1B+ was redelivered in 2000.

In 2004 it was announced that the BDAC and the French Armée de l'Air (AdlA) were to collaborate closely in the advanced training of their future jet pilots and since September 2005 all Belgian Alpha Jets are based at BA 120 Cazaux in the South of France. 

11 Smaldeel was disbanded but the traditions where taken over by Escadron de Transition Opérationnelle (ETO) 02.008 'Nice' and is part of the Advanced Jet Training School (AJeTS). The French Alpha Jet Es peform the Advanced Flying Training with ETO 01.008 'Saintonge' and the Belgian Alpha Jets fly the so called Initial Operational Training, the last training before the students go to operational units either within the BDAC or the AdlA.  

The Alpha Jet will remain the advanced trainer for the BDAC until atleast 2015, although there are currently no plans for a replacement.