Belgium's F‑16 promise to Ukraine hit by F‑35 delays
The Prime Minister of Belgium, Bart De Wever, during a joint press conference with the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, outlined a preliminary schedule for the delivery of F-16 fighter jets. It appears that the forces fighting against Russia will face a considerable wait for these aircraft.
De Wever confirmed their commitment to becoming Ukraine’s main supplier of F-16s, assuring that the pledge will be fulfilled. This year, two F-16s intended for spare parts are expected to be delivered, with two fully operational jets to follow next year. He expressed hope that the numbers will increase, although at the moment they are still waiting for the delivery of the F-35s.
Problem with Belgian F-16s for Ukraine
The Ukrainian media remind us that Belgium had initially declared its readiness to transfer up to 30 F-16s to Ukraine, so the currently mentioned four is a rather modest announcement, especially given that two of these will be used for spare parts.
The issue, however, lies not with any reluctance on the part of the Belgians but rather with delays in the delivery of F-35s, which are set to replace the F-16s being phased out of service. It was initially expected that the first F-35s would arrive in Belgium in 2023. This date was subsequently postponed to late 2024, and now to 2025. The Belgian F-35s are expected to achieve initial operational readiness by mid-2027, with full operational readiness anticipated by the end of 2030.
A very valuable aircraft for Ukrainians
Ukraine has already received several F-16 fighters. These are updated versions of the F-16A/B MLU (Mid-Life Update from the 1990s), which, compared to older variants, have improved radars and the capability to employ a more diverse range of weaponry, including AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles with a range of approximately 100 kilometres. They are also equipped as standard with the M61 Vulcan six-barrel cannon with a calibre of 20 millimetres.
Ukrainian pilots have consistently praised the F-16 fighters for the capabilities they offer. General Christopher G. Cavoli, the commander of the U.S. Armed Forces in Europe, confirmed in a recent interview that these American combat aircraft are actively involved in daily operations against Russia, effectively neutralising missile threats and conducting offensive actions in eastern Ukraine.
A certain limitation of the F-16s transferred to Ukraine, however, is the absence of the Link-16 communication system, which Ukrainian experts have highlighted on numerous occasions. "The Wall Street Journal" even reported that the lack of this system resulted in an incident where one F-16 was inadvertently shot down by the Patriot missile system.
