Belgium to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets?
The Francophone liberal Deputy Prime Minister in Belgium’s Federal Government David Clarinval has said in an interview with the Francophone commercial broadcaster RTL that Belgium could hand over between 2 and 4 F-16 fighter jet to Ukraine next year. The possibility that Belgium might supply the Ukrainians with F-16s has been confirmed by VRT News' sources. Previously, the Belgian Defence Ministry had said that it would not be possible to supply planes to Ukraine.
Deputy Prime Minister Clarinval told RTL that the Defence Ministry was working on a study into the possible provision of F-16s to Ukraine. VRT NWS also has information that Belgium may well hand over F-16 fighter jets to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Previously it had always been said that the Belgian Airforce would be unable to supply Ukraine with any F-16s as they were required for the defence of Belgian airspace and for NATO missions to secure the airspace on the EU's eastern border in the Baltic States. This was recently reiterated by the armed forces Chief of Staff Michel Hofman.
The Belgian Airforce has 45 F-16s
The Belgian Airforce has 45 F-16 fighter jets. Within the next 5 to 6 years, all of these will have reached the end their service life and will be phased out. From next year, the Belgian Air Force will receive 4 to 5 new F-35 fighter jets per year. These will gradually replace the F-16s.
This means that F-16s that still have flying hours left on the clock will gradually become available. Handing them over to Ukraine is certainly an option. However, any decision to do so would have to be taken by Belgium’s Federal Government.