Promises vs reality: Who holds back F-16s for Ukraine?
F-16 deliveries to Ukraine are in jeopardy (photo: Getty Images)
Belgium and Norway are delaying the delivery of 36 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, which together account for nearly half of the total promised aircraft, according to Defense Express.
Reasons for delay
The media reported that Belgium, which committed to transferring 30 fighter jets, links the pause to delays in receiving US F-35 aircraft.
The first new jets arrived in the country only in October last year. Belgian F-16s are expected to be delivered to Ukraine gradually through 2028, although the first aircraft could arrive as early as 2026.
The situation is different in Norway — the country promised 6 aircraft, but all of them are currently undergoing maintenance in Belgium.
The refurbishment process is being slowed by a shortage of spare parts, with around 100 components missing from each aircraft. The Belgian side has also stated that Ukraine itself allegedly requested a delay due to a lack of trained pilots.
How many F-16s has Ukraine received so far
In total, the aviation coalition pledged to provide Ukraine with 79 fighter jets.
The current delivery status is as follows:
- Netherlands delivered all 24 promised aircraft
- Denmark delivered most of its 19 jets (with deliveries expected to be completed by the end of 2025)
- Belgium, Norway: as of April 2026, have not delivered any aircraft.
Including four aircraft lost in combat, Ukraine's Air Force may currently operate up to 39 F-16s.
F-16 delivery challenges
The situation with fighter jet transfers from some partners remains complicated. In particular, the Norwegian jets have reportedly been stuck in an aircraft repair facility in Belgium, where restoration work has effectively stalled.
At the same time, Belgium has not delivered any aircraft in three years. Brussels explains the delay by stating that it never provided Kyiv with specific delivery timelines.
In addition, Western aviation remains a key target of Russian disinformation. Russian propaganda recently spread a false claim that Denmark was allegedly recalling its fighter jets from Ukraine, which has no official confirmation and is not true.
