Defense Express: Ukraine may receive additional F-16s from Belgium in 2026

Ukraine may receive additional F-16s from Belgium, as the first fifth-generation F-35 fighters have arrived in the country to replace the old ones. About reports Defense Express.

It is noted that the new Belgian aircraft arrived at the Florentine air base, where they will be put into service with the 1st Squadron. They should be ready for rapid response operations by 2027.

At the same time, old fighters will be withdrawn from the air force and sent to Ukraine.

The order to supply Belgium with F-35s is being fulfilled by Lockheed Martin. According to the initial agreements, the first fighters were to arrive in 2023, but they were ready in 2024 and were used for pilot training in the United States.

The first F-35, intended for delivery to Belgium, was released from the factory only in early June this year with the number FL009. The first batch delivered to the Belgians consists of four aircraft.

The publication suggests that this will allow Ukraine to receive the first Belgian F-16s in 2026.

"This will help to strengthen the Ukrainian air fleet, providing, for example, additional flights," the journalists speculate.

• In September 2024, then-Defense Minister Umerov stated that Ukraine expects to receive from Western allies not only F-16s and Mirage-2000s, but also Gripen and Eurofighter.
• may 26, 2025 Netherlands sent the last batch of F-16 fighters to Ukraine.
• on September 29 of the same year, the Ministry of Defense announced that Ukraine was expecting to receive swedish Gripen fighters.