“Belgium cannot provide Ukraine F-16 until it receives the F-35.”, – WRITE: www.unian.ua
Belgium cannot provide Ukraine F-16 until it receives the F-35.
Franken explained how Belgium will pass to Ukraine F-16 / UNIAN collage, Wikipedia photo, UNIANThis year, Ukraine will receive F-16 aircraft from Belgium, but it is impossible to name the exact delivery dates. The Minister of Defense of Belgium The Theo Franken told this in an interview with a telegraph.
“We cannot provide F -16 until the F -35. We have the capacity of DCA (it is a dual -caapable aircrafts – dual -use aircraft that can carry nuclear weapons – ed.). The nuclear component is the basis for NATO’s restraint. F -16, until we receive other fighters capable of carrying nuclear weapons, “he explained.
The minister stressed that every time Belgium will receive the F-35, it can transmit the F-16. However, he said, if there is a delay in the F-35 program, it automatically means a delay in the transfer of fighter jets to Ukraine.
“Because we cannot give our planes without ensuring our own participation in the NATO collective defense system,” he added.
According to Lockheed Martin manufacturer, the newspaper writes, the first F-35 aircraft will arrive in Belgium “in the coming months” as part of a total order for 34 fighters.
F-16 aircraft for UkraineAs reported earlier, UNIAN, in May, the Netherlands announced that they were sending the last of the 24 promised F-16 to Ukraine. The Minister of Defense of the country Ruben Breccelmans said the Netherlands is also teaching pilots and technicians and sharing military doctrines so that Ukraine can build modern armed forces that correspond to NATO member countries.
Norway also announced that during 2025 all the promised F-16 fighters will be transferred to Ukraine. The Minister of Defense of the country Ture Sandwick explained that part of the aircraft had already been transferred, while others are provided according to plan. However, due to anxiety about operational safety, the exact number of aircraft is not voiced.
Avayexpert Anatoly Khrapchinsky stated that by the end of the year, there should be about three squadrons of F-16 aircraft in Ukraine by NATO standards.
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