Belgium to Allocate €100M for Ukrainian F-16s Maintenance

29 March, 2024 Myrhorod, Safe Sky 2011 exercise. American F-16 and Ukrainian Su-27 fighters.

2011. Ukraine.

Photo credits: poltava.to Belgium will allocate EUR100 million for the maintenance of Ukraine's F-16 fighter jet fleet. Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder announced this on her X (ex-Twitter).

She stated the funding would be provided as part of the 25th military aid package. As previously reported, the Dutch government will purchase aviation weapons for F-16 fighter jets, which will soon be transferred to Ukraine. The Netherlands will allocate over EUR150 million to purchase air-to-ground weapons for F-16 fighter jets awaiting delivery to Ukraine.

Myrhorod, Safe Sky 2011 exercise.

American F-16 and Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jets.

2011, Ukraine. Photo credits: poltava.to

It is noted that the contract for their purchase will be concluded directly with the manufacturer. The first six F-16 fighter jets will be delivered to Ukraine by the summer of this year, Militarny reported on March 11 with reference to The New York Times.

The newspaper reports that twelve pilots so far are expected to be ready to fly F-16s in combat by this summer after 10 months of training in Denmark, Britain and the United States. At the same time, the authors of the article emphasize that by the time the pilots return to Ukraine, as few as six F-16s will have been delivered out of about 45 of the fighter jets that European allies have promised.

Training of Ukrainian pilots

Militarnyi previously reported that ten Ukrainian pilots completed initial flight training in the United Kingdom, which allowed them to transfer to the combat training version of the F-16 aircraft. It was previously reported that in December 2023, the first group of Ukrainian pilots underwent a basic flight training program in the United Kingdom.

A Ukrainian pilot during initial flight training on a Grob Tutor T2 aircraft.

Photo credits: Royal Air Force

The group consisted of six experienced Ukrainian fighter pilots.

Currently, Ukrainian pilots are being trained to fly F-16 fighters in Denmark.

The Royal Air Force began training Ukrainians in flight training and English in August 2023 as part of Britain's contribution to the international aviation coalition.