Belgium to transfer three operational F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by end of 2026

Belgian jet commitment

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Tuesday that Belgium will deliver three F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine before the end of 2026. The transfer is being arranged under an accelerated procedure to reinforce Ukraine's airspace protection in response to escalating Russian aerial strikes. Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine has already received urgent shipments of F-16 ammunition from Belgium and Spain, alongside assistance from other European partners. The Ukrainian president publicly expressed gratitude to Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and the Belgian government for taking decisive action to support civil protection efforts.

There is an important agreement with Belgium on the transfer of three F-16 fighter jets by the end of this year. We will work to receive these aircraft through an accelerated procedure.

Operational condition and pilot training

The three combat aircraft set for delivery by late 2026 bring the total number of Belgian F-16s transferred this year to seven. Four decommissioned Belgian jets were transferred earlier in the year and remain stationed at the Sabca aerospace facility in Gosselies. Those four aircraft are no longer airworthy and serve strictly as ground instructional frames for Ukrainian maintenance personnel and as a source for spare parts. The three aircraft arriving by year-end have logged nearly 8,000 flight hours each, placing them near the end of their operational lifespan for Belgian military use. Ukrainian defense units intend to use these operational fighters primarily as interceptors to shoot down incoming Russian drones and cruise missiles at a lower cost than deploying scarce Patriot interceptor missiles.

Long-term delivery schedule and F-35 transition

The transfer of Belgium's F-16 fleet is tied to the arrival of replacement F-35 fighter aircraft ordered for the Belgian Air Component. Under an initial bilateral security pact agreed under Belgium's previous government, Brussels had agreed to supply 30 aircraft to Ukraine by 2028. A revised multi-year plan confirmed in May by the cabinet of Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken outlines the transfer of the country's entire retiring F-16 fleet. Following the seven jets allocated in 2026, Belgium plans to transfer five aircraft in 2027, 14 in 2028, and a concluding batch of 27 aircraft in 2029. Belgian authorities noted that the delivery timetable remains subject to operational air force readiness requirements as new F-35 deliveries proceed.

Air defense additions and drone interception

Alongside the fighter jet announcement, Zelenskiy confirmed in his nightly address that Ukraine received a NASAMS air defense system on Monday through a joint package from the United States and Norway. Negotiations remain underway with Western allies to secure a continuous supply of interceptor missiles for Patriot batteries, which serve as Ukraine's primary defense against Russian ballistic missile attacks. Ukrainian technical teams are concurrently running flight tests to increase the effectiveness of interceptor systems against advanced Russian jet-powered drones. These jet drones fly at higher speeds and greater altitudes than conventional propeller-driven models. During Russian attacks on Tuesday involving more than 100 drones, Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 18 of the 29 jet-powered drones launched across the country.