Belgium to Send Dozens of F-16 Jets to Ukraine as It Transitions to F-35 Fleet
Belgium will supply Ukraine with dozens of F-16 fighter jets as it begins replacing its aging fleet with fifth-generation F-35 aircrafts.
The Gaze reports this, referring to Defense Express.
The long-awaited F-35s, seven years in the making, have now arrived at Florennes Air Base, where they will be assigned to the country’s 1st Squadron. The advanced jets are expected to reach full operational readiness for quick-reaction missions by 2027.
The outgoing aircraft will be gradually withdrawn from service and transferred to Ukraine, providing Kyiv with an important boost to its air power as it continues to defend against Russian aggression.
The F-35 procurement program is being carried out by Lockheed Martin, which signed a €3.8 billion ($4.1 billion) contract in 2018 for 34 F-35A jets.
Although the first deliveries were originally expected in 2023, delays in production and pilot training pushed back the timeline.
According to Defense Express, the arrival of the F-35s will free up the older F-16s for transfer, potentially allowing the first Belgian F-16s to reach Ukraine in 2026.
The addition of these multirole fighters is expected to expand Ukraine’s sortie capacity and improve its ability to protect key infrastructure and support ground operations.
Belgium has also indicated that its initial order of 34 aircraft will likely be increased, with the government planning to procure an additional 11 F-35s to meet future defense needs and NATO commitments.
In parallel, Kyiv continues to explore other options for strengthening its air force. Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk confirmed that Ukraine may also receive Swedish JAS 39 Gripen multirole jets, though details on quantity and delivery schedules remain undisclosed.
The Belgian aircraft donation forms part of the broader F-16 Coalition, a multinational effort led by the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United States to supply Ukraine with Western-made combat jets and train its pilots.
The first Ukrainian F-16 pilots completed advanced training in the United States earlier this year, with additional courses ongoing in Denmark and Romania.
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