Belgium has taken delivery of three new American-made F-35 stealth fighter jets at Florennes Air Base, bringing Ukraine closer to receiving Belgian F-16 aircraft.
The arrival of the aircraft brings Belgium's operational F-35 fleet stationed at the airbase to seven units, according to the Belgian Air Force. Military analysts noted that receiving the fifth-generation jets allows Belgium to decommission its older F-16 fleet and transfer the surplus aircraft to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Defense Express reported that 15 F-35A fighters have been manufactured for Belgium so far, with eight remaining in the United States under standard procedures for pilot training. The first four jets arrived at Florennes Air Base in autumn 2025, with the latest three arriving a year later.
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation stealth multirole aircraft designed to replace fourth-generation fighters such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon across several NATO member states. Belgium originally ordered 34 F-35 fighters in 2018 to modernise its air capabilities, with full operational readiness scheduled for 2030. Belgian F-35A jets are expected to be ready for rapid reaction operations by 2027.
Analysts said Belgian officials are negotiating to order an additional 11 F-35 aircraft, with a contract expected to be signed before the end of the year. Meanwhile, reports indicate Belgium could begin transferring its first seven F-16 jets to Ukraine this year, matching the number of F-35s currently delivered to Belgian soil. Belgium plans to operate its F-16 fleet until 2028 and deliver a total of 53 aircraft to Ukraine by the end of 2029.
Belgian F-16 Transfers to Follow NATO Aircraft Deliveries
Ukraine has already received F-16 fighter jets from Denmark and the Netherlands. The Ukrainian Air Force has deployed the aircraft for battlefield operations, including striking ground targets and intercepting incoming Russian cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Ukrainian pilots operating F-16s have also achieved air-to-air combat success, including the confirmed downing of a Russian Sukhoi Su-35S fighter jet. The Su-35S is one of Russia's primary frontline air superiority fighters, making its interception a key milestone for Ukrainian air defence forces.
Allies Provide Ammunition and Air Defence Support
Supplies for Ukraine's growing F-16 fleet are also expanding among European partners. Polish Deputy Minister of National Defence Stanisław Wziątek announced that Poland is preparing a new military assistance package for Ukraine valued at up to 50 million euros.
According to Wziątek, the package will provide aviation equipment and specialized ammunition mounted on F-16 fighters specifically designed to shoot down Russian drones.
In addition, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced during a joint press conference that Canada intends to help Ukraine through the upcoming winter with a combined defence and energy package.
Carney explained that Canada and Ukraine reached an agreement to supply critical air defence interceptor missiles using the United States JUMPSTART mechanism. Zelenskyy specified that the Canadian delivery will include interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems alongside additional ammunition for Ukraine's F-16 fighters.
