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Belgium Fast-Tracks Three F-16 Fighter Jets for Ukraine by End of 2026
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Ukraine has reached an agreement with Belgium to receive three F-16 fighter jets by the end of 2026, with the aircraft set to be transferred under an accelerated procedure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on September 29.
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Zelenskyy said Ukraine had also received urgent deliveries of F-16 ammunition from Belgium and other partner countries, including Spain.
The agreement comes as Ukraine continues efforts to strengthen its air defense capabilities amid ongoing Russian aerial attacks.
Zelenskyy stressed that additional capabilities are needed to intercept Russian aerial targets and protect civilians as Russia intensifies its attacks.
There is an important agreement with Belgium on the transfer of three F-16 fighter jets by the end of this year. We will work to receive these aircraft through an accelerated procedure. We have already received urgent deliveries of F-16 ammunition from Belgium and other…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 29, 2026
“As Russia escalates its attacks every day, we need to add more capabilities to shoot down aerial targets and protect people. I thank Belgium, Prime Minister Bart De Wever, and the entire government for taking decisive steps to support Ukraine in response to Russia’s callous strikes against life,” Zelenskyy said.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a US-developed multirole fighter designed for a range of missions, including air-to-air combat, ground strikes, and reconnaissance.
The aircraft combines advanced avionics and weapons systems with high speed and maneuverability and can deploy precision-guided munitions in various weather conditions.
Ukraine has increasingly relied on the aircraft for both air defense and strike missions. Ukrainian F-16 pilots have destroyed more than 3,150 aerial targets and carried out over 650 strikes against Russian ground positions, while Kyiv is also considering a potential transition to newer Block 70/72 variants of the fighter.
Conor McGuire, who oversees F-16 capability development at Lockheed Martin, commended the performance of Ukrainian pilots and ground crews and expressed interest in supporting further improvements to Ukraine’s existing F-16 fleet.
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