Belgium has yet to deliver any of the 30 F-16 fighter jets it pledged to Ukraine two years ago, according to the Belgian public broadcaster VRT. The Ministry of Defense has indicated that a precise timeline for the aircraft’s delivery has not been established.
Initially, the first four jets were expected to arrive in 2024. However, as of now, Ukraine has not received any of the promised aircraft. In contrast, other nations, including the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway, have already supplied F-16s to Ukraine, some of which are currently operational.
“By the end of the year, our country will deliver four F-16s to Ukraine,” stated then-Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in 2024.
This commitment was intended to mark the beginning of the transfer of the full contingent of 30 jets. Major General Gert De Decker of the Belgian Air Force emphasized that the country must first meet its own operational requirements.
The delay in providing the F-16s is reportedly linked to Belgium’s acquisition of new F-35 aircraft. The transfer of the older F-16s to Ukraine is expected to occur only after Belgium has fully transitioned to the F-35s, which is projected to happen no earlier than 2029.
Regarding the timeline for the F-16 deliveries, De Decker clarified that no fixed schedule had ever been promised. He remarked, “It has always been clear that our own operational readiness must be guaranteed.”
“It has always been clear that our own operational readiness must be guaranteed,” he noted.
In May 2024, De Croo reiterated that the F-16s to be supplied to Kyiv would only be usable within Ukraine. At that time, former Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib stated that Belgium would deliver all 30 of its F-16s to Ukraine by 2028.
Belgium has not delivered any of the 30 F-16 fighter jets promised to Ukraine, with the Ministry of Defense citing operational needs and a lack of a confirmed timeline. The transfer is contingent upon Belgium's transition to new F-35 aircraft, expected to be completed by 2029.