Two years after Belgium pledged to donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, no aircraft have been delivered, despite the Belgian Air Force receiving its first F-35A Lightning II fighters in October 2025. The transfer of the F-16s is linked to Belgium’s transition to the F-35, a process intended to replace the aging F-16 MLU fleet.
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken confirmed in October 2025 that all pledged F-16s would be delivered, but emphasized that their operational availability remained uncertain. “The F-16s will indeed arrive in your country, but their operational availability has not yet been confirmed,” Francken said during a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels. He specified that Ukrainian pilots must complete training, a process estimated to take approximately one month, before the aircraft can be considered fully operational.
The initial commitment to donate up to 30 F-16s came after Brussels initially resisted supplying fighter jets to Ukraine in 2023, citing concerns about the age of its airframes. Diplomatic pressure from allies ultimately led to the commitment, with a plan to transfer two aircraft for spare parts by the complete of 2025, followed by two operational jets in 2026.
The delivery schedule is intertwined with the rollout of the F-35A. On October 13, 2025, three of four F-35As that departed from Fort Worth, Texas, arrived at Florennes Air Base in Belgium. The fourth aircraft was grounded due to a technical fault identified by the pilot during the transatlantic flight.
A $235.5 million contract was signed in January 2026 between the United States and Belgian company Sabena Aerospace Engineering to provide maintenance and material support for the F-16s in Ukraine. This agreement suggests continued logistical support for the program, despite the delay in aircraft delivery.
The F-35s are intended to replace the F-16 AM/BM fighters that will be transferred to Ukraine, according to statements from the Belgian government. Francken reiterated that all promised F-16s would be delivered to Ukraine, but did not provide a revised timeline for when the aircraft would be fully operational.
