Belgium could transfer all 53 of its F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of 2029, as previously promised by the Belgian Ministry of Defence.
The new delivery schedule is reportedly directly linked to the arrival of the F-35A fighter jets purchased by the Belgian Air Force to replace its current fleet of F-16 aircraft. As the new jets enter service, the older models could be sent to Ukraine.
According to a report by the Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi, citing information from the newspapers Le Soir and Le Vif, Kyiv could receive seven aircraft in 2026, another five in 2027, 14 in 2028 and a further 27 in 2029. If the plan is fully confirmed, the total would reach 53 transferred fighter jets.
According to Militarnyi, some of the aircraft have already begun to be withdrawn from operational service and are being used to train Ukrainian technicians. The transfer, however, still depends on the delivery pace of the American F-35 jets and NATO’s operational needs.
Belgium is part of the so-called “F-16 coalition”, a group of European countries that has been supporting the modernization of the Ukrainian air force since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway have also pledged aircraft to Kyiv as part of the initiative.
Photo: Raybin. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
