Belgium accelerates F‑16 transfer to Ukraine amid defense boost
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken announced that his country will do everything possible to send F-16 fighters to Ukraine "ahead of schedule." Just a few weeks ago, Brussels indicated that these transfers were paused until the ordered F-35s arrive in Belgium in 2026.
"Belgium will be future-oriented when we talk about the Coalition of the Willing. And there is also a very good moment in this. We will be and will remain in the Coalition on F-16. And we will try to deliver the F-16s even earlier than the set date. So that's also good news, I think," Francken stated before the EU Council meeting.
Belgian F-16s for Ukraine
The Defense Minister did not provide further details. However, his declaration suggests that Ukraine may receive the promised F-16s before 2026, which was the date mentioned in earlier statements.
It remains unclear how Belgian authorities have addressed the previously suggested issue. This concerns the gap after the F-16s are transferred to Ukraine and before the arrival of the ordered F-35s. Initially, the F-35s were expected to start arriving in Belgium in 2023, but the date was moved first to late 2024, and finally to 2025.
Changes in Belgium's combat aviation
In 2018, Belgium ordered 34 F-35 fighters, which it is currently awaiting. In April, Belgian authorities decided to purchase additional aircraft of this type. According to Army Recognition's findings, there will be 11 more.
The F-16 fighters being transferred to Ukraine by a "coalition of the willing" are modified variants of the F-16A/B MLU (Mid-Life Update from the 1990s). Compared to older variants, these have several significant upgrades, including improved radars and the ability to deploy a wider range of weaponry, such as AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles with a range of approximately 62 miles.
