Belgium to transfer 30 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by 2028

28 May, 2024 F-16AM fighter jet from the 1st Squadron of the Air Component of the Belgian Armed Forces. Photo from the open sources As part of its military assistance, Belgium will transfer 30 of its F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by 2028.

Hadja Lahbib, Belgian Foreign Minister, stated this in a comment to RTL. The first combat aircraft should be delivered to the Air Forces of Ukraine by the end of this year. The first batch will likely consist of several fighter jets.

"By the end of the year, planes should arrive in Ukraine," the Minister stated without specifying the number.

Belgian F-16AM fighter jet. Photo from open source

The commitment to transfer 30 F-16 fighter jets will be formalized in an agreement to be signed on May 28 in Brussels during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It is worth noting that Belgium initially planned to deliver the first F-16 fighters to Ukraine no earlier than 2025, but in April, it was decided to send the first combat aircraft in 2024.

Belgium joined the Aviation Coalition for Ukraine last year, along with the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway, to provide Kyiv with combat aircraft to counter the Russian invasion. Initially, the country's participation was limited to training and logistical support, but later, the Belgian government decided to supply the aircraft, which will be retired after the fifth generation F-35A fighter jets are received. The agenda of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Belgium on Tuesday, May 28, includes the signing of a bilateral security agreement and the delivery of F-16 fighter jets, which the country has promised to supply to Ukraine.

The Head of State will also meet with Belgian pilots, instructors, and F-16 technicians.

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

2011. Ukraine.

Photo credits: poltava.to

Recently, the first group of Ukrainian pilots completed F-16 fighter training in the United States.

The first specialists in the maintenance of these combat aircraft also started to return to Ukraine.