Delays cast shadow over Belgium's F‑16 transfer to Ukraine
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever confirmed media reports regarding issues with the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The aircraft, intended for the army fighting against Russia, will be delivered with significant delays—only arriving in 2026. Some experts believe that the United States may be a factor in these delays.
Belgium is one of the most actively involved countries in the so-called air coalition supporting Ukraine's military strength. As one of the few countries—including the Netherlands and Denmark—it decided to transfer its F-16 fighter jets (as many as 30 units) to Ukraine. Although the first deliveries were originally scheduled for late 2024, they have been postponed. This year, the transfer of Belgian F-16s to Ukraine will not happen either. Why?
Belgium delays F-16 deliveries to Ukraine
The Belgians cite two reasons for this delay. The first is a lack of spare parts, and the second—and significantly more important—is the delay in the deliveries of F-35 fighters, which are meant to replace the F-16s assigned to Ukraine in the Belgian air force.
Aviation market development expert Bogdan Dolince, quoted by the Unian agency, suggested that an "indirect" influence of the United States might be causing the delay in the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine.
He explained that transferring specific aircraft without U.S. involvement and the necessary licenses is not feasible. He also noted that the security sector operates under a state export control system, which can directly or indirectly influence the timeline for delivering weapons to Ukraine.
Currently, Belgium cannot afford to relinquish its F-16s, as doing so would weaken its national defense. The fighters are crucial to their military capabilities. Belgium lacks land-based air defense, a point Bart De Wever emphasized loudly even before becoming prime minister. He mentioned that, in his view, Patriot systems should be prioritized.
F-16s becoming increasingly bold on the front
The war in Ukraine demonstrates that F-16 fighter jets can supplement the country's air defense. Reports indicate that Ukrainian pilots use these aircraft to shoot down drones and cruise missiles launched by the Russians. They engage less frequently with Russian planes, but such engagements do occur. In October 2024, there was a noteworthy attack by an F-16 on a Russian Su-34 bomber.
F-16s are being delivered to Ukraine in the modified F-16A/B MLU (Mid-Life Update from the 1990s) variants. These modifications have improved Ukrainian pilots' radar systems and enabled them to use a wider range of weapons, including AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles with a range of about 100 kilometres.
