Ukraine's long wait for Belgian F-16s: What Brussels says
Belgian F-16 (illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Belgium has not delivered a single F-16 fighter jet to Ukraine in three years. Belgian officials say in their defense that the government never promised specific timelines for supplying the aircraft to Kyiv, according to VRT.
The outlet reports that during the three years of Belgium's participation in the "fighter jet coalition" to supply F-16s to Ukraine, not a single Belgian aircraft has been delivered. Since 2023, delivery timelines have repeatedly been postponed. The first Belgian F-16s were expected to already be in Ukraine, but none have arrived.
Belgian officials now claim that no specific delivery deadlines ever existed. They say the issue was not formally discussed, and according to one senior Belgian Air Force commander, Ukraine allegedly even asked not to receive the jets yet because it lacks enough pilots.
However, in 2024, then-Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said the first aircraft would arrive in Ukraine by the end of the year. These were supposed to be the first of the 30 jets promised to Ukraine as part of the coalition. Since then, other countries have delivered F-16s to Ukraine, but Belgium has not.
In May 2025, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken also said the aircraft would be delivered "even earlier than the set deadline." But so far, no transfers have taken place.
Reasons for delays
Belgium's Ministry of Defense says the main reason Ukraine has not yet received Belgian F-16s is delays in deliveries of new aircraft from the United States.
Belgium plans to replace its aging F-16 fleet with American F-35 fighters, but those jets have not yet been delivered. Belgium says it can only transfer its F-16s after the replacements arrive.
Major General Geert De Decker told the outlet that from the outset, the Ministry of Defense said the operational needs of the Belgian Air Force must be met first and that it has always been clear that their own operational readiness must be guaranteed.
Belgium plans to retire its entire F-16 fleet by the end of 2028, while final deliveries of F-35s are not expected before 2029.
At the same time, in October 2025, reports said Ukraine would receive additional F-16s from Belgium. By then, the first fifth-generation F-35 fighters had already begun arriving to replace them. At the time, the first F-16 transfers to Ukraine were expected in 2026.
Pilot training issues
According to the outlet, citing its own sources, pilot training delays are also part of the problem. The report claims training is significantly behind schedule, according to unnamed sources among Ukrainian officials.
The report also states that the training of Ukrainian pilots is not going according to plan. Ukrainian officials allegedly said that the pace of training was slower than required to prepare enough pilots in time for the aircraft deliveries, and Ukraine even asked not to send F-16s yet, simply because it did not have enough pilots to operate them.
Despite the statements from Belgian officials, the country has committed to supplying up to 30 F-16 fighters to Ukraine by 2028. This obligation is included in the security and long-term support agreement signed by Belgium and Ukraine on May 28, 2024.
At the same time, US-made aircraft are not expected to become the backbone of Ukraine's air force. The Ukrainian air force plans to focus primarily on Gripen and Rafale fighter jets, two modern aircraft types that together could expand Ukraine's combat aviation fleet to about 250 aircraft.
