March 7, 2026
Belgium promised Ukraine 30 F-16 fighters two years ago, but the country has not yet delivered a single aircraft.
This is stated in a response to a request from the Belgian public broadcaster VRT to the country’s Ministry of Defense.
“By the end of the year (2024, – ed.) our country will transfer four F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine,” said then-Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.
However, according to Major General Geert De Decker of the Belgian Air Force, one must first take care of one’s own needs.
“From the very beginning, the Ministry of Defense stated that the operational needs of the Belgian Air Force itself must be met first,” he explained.
De Decker also emphasized that no clear timeline for the transfer of F-16 fighters to Ukraine has ever been announced.
The department explains that the main reason for the delay is the postponement of the delivery of new F-35 fighters to Belgium. They note that they want to transfer the old F-16s only after they are replaced with new fighters.
According to De Decker, the country is gradually decommissioning its F-16 fleet in preparation for a full transition to the F-35. However, some aircraft will remain in service until this process is complete.
At the same time, the public broadcaster reports that Belgium plans to completely retire the F-16 by the end of 2028. Only after the transition to the F-35 is complete can the remaining fighters be transferred to Ukraine. It is expected that final deliveries may not take place before 2029.
- The Netherlands will transfer F-16 simulators to Ukraine for pilot training.
Isn’t it baffling to see such widespread cowardice, stupidity, and laziness on this continent? Belgium is quite bad, but there are even worse ones (not only Hungary and Slovakia).
I wish there was a way to divert the cockroach horde into the rest of Europe to finally wake up the squishy fluffballs there.
Belgium always seems to take on the attribute of a POS