F-16 fighter jet (archive image): More than fifty of these military aircraft are to go from Belgium to Ukraine.Image: IMAGO / Anadolu Agency
Belgium not only wants to increase the number of F-16s it has promised, but also wants to sell them completely. The plan depends on the Air Force’s smooth transition to new F-35s.
May 11, 2026, 5:27 p.mMay 11, 2026, 5:27 p.m
According to a media report, the Belgian government plans to give Ukraine all of its own air force’s F-16 fighter jets in the future. As the magazine “Le Vif” reports, a total of 53 machines could go to Kiev. Most of them should therefore be delivered by 2029.
According to the report, the prerequisite for the full handover is the gradual introduction of new F-35 fighter jets into the Belgian Air Force. They are intended to replace the current F-16.
Belgium had previously promised Ukraine 30 F-16s. The corresponding security agreement between Brussels and Kyiv was concluded in 2024. Delivery was originally scheduled to take place by 2028. However, according to Belgian government officials, there were delays due to the switch to the F-35.
Zelensky: Ukraine needs 120 F-16 jets
According to the plans that have now become known, seven machines are to be handed over this year. Four of them have already been decommissioned and are currently being used to train Ukrainian technicians. According to “Le Vif”, five more jets are planned for 2027, with 14 to follow in 2028. The remaining 27 aircraft could therefore be delivered in 2029. However, according to the report, the schedule is considered preliminary.
Western countries have so far promised Ukraine a total of 79 F-16s. According to information from the countries involved, Kiev has already received 36 machines from the Netherlands and Denmark. Further deliveries from Denmark and Norway are still pending.
Ukraine has long been pushing for additional fighter jets for air defense. President Volodymyr Zelenskyj had stated that his country needed around 120 F-16s in order to be able to adequately protect its own airspace.
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(hkl)