Belgium to deliver F-16s to Ukraine within year and half – Defense Minister Francken
Belgium will provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets after receiving its new F-35 aircraft.
Defense Minister Theo Francken announced this, Censor.NET reports citing Radio Liberty.
"We continue to receive deliveries on schedule: the first three F-35s (not four) have already arrived. They now need to become operational, that will take, I believe, about a year or a year and a half. Once we achieve operational capability, we’ll be able to transfer our F-16s to Ukraine," he said.
Francken noted that the deployment of the F-35s is "a very important phase" for the Belgian Air Force and is directly linked to the handover of aircraft to Ukraine.
"This is a crucial phase, I always explain this to the Ukrainians. As soon as we can, we will hand them over. But don’t forget that our country has DCA (Defensive Counter Air) capabilities and plays an important role in NATO’s nuclear deterrence policy. This is a cornerstone of our doctrine," the minister emphasized.
F-16s for Ukraine
Earlier, media reported that Ukraine is expected to receive additional F-16 fighter jets from Belgium as early as 2026.
