Ukraine to receive additional F-16 fighter jets from Belgium in 2026 – Defense Express
Belgium has received its first fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, a major step not only in the country’s long-awaited rearmament but also toward the transfer of additional F-16s to Ukraine, expected as early as 2026.
Defense Express reports on this, Censor.NET informs.
The newly arrived F-35s, which Belgium had awaited for seven years, have landed at Florennes Air Base, where they will join the 1st Squadron. They are expected to reach full operational readiness for quick-reaction missions by 2027.
Belgium will retain its F-16 fleet until 2028, when the fifth-generation fighters will completely replace them.
Older fighter jets will be gradually withdrawn from the Air Force of Belgium and then sent to Ukraine.
The F-35 order for Belgium is being fulfilled by U.S. manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
Originally, the first jets were due in 2023, but production delays pushed their arrival to 2024, when they were used for pilot training in the United States.
Outlet notes that this timeline opens the door for Belgium to send its first F-16s to Ukraine in 2026 — a move that would strengthen Ukraine’s air fleet and boost the Air Force’s operational capabilities.
