Belgium will transfer the first three of its F-16AM/BM fighters to Ukraine by the end of 2026, after a long delay linked to the arrival of replacement F-35A aircraft. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed the plan on 29 September, as Kyiv continues to work through the broader Belgian pledge of 30 jets.
The delivery update comes as Ukraine’s existing F-16 fleet faces a growing readiness problem. More than half of the aircraft are reportedly stuck in maintenance limbo, with phase inspections in Belgium taking as long as 40 weeks, far longer than the two-to-six-week turnaround typical in the United States. The work is tied to Sabena Aerospace Engineering, which handles long-term support for Ukraine’s fighters under a US contract.
The same news cycle also brought signs of a longer-term modernisation path. Ukrainian representatives met Lockheed Martin to discuss the F-16 Block 70/72, the latest production version of the fighter. That variant would offer a substantial capability step up from the older aircraft Ukraine has received from European donors, including improved avionics, radar and service life.
Ukraine’s current fleet is under heavy pressure from combat use, spare-parts shortages and repeated repair demands, making maintenance capacity as important as new deliveries.