This Friday, October 13, the Belgian Select Council of Ministers approved the proposal of the Minister of Defence, Ludivine Dedonder, to grant F-16 defence to Ukraine from 2025.
Thus, Belgian Defence will implement what is necessary to make possible the transfer of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine by 2025. Until then, Defence will build up a stock of critical spare parts in order to guarantee the operationality of its F-16 fleet until the end of the transition to the F-35A.
At the same time, the Belgian aviation industry sector will support the modernisation of the Ukrainian army.
The final decision on the granting of aircraft will be taken, in due time, by the responsible government in charge at the date of delivery.
Statement from Ludivine Dedonder: “I am delighted with the unanimity obtained during the presentation of this proposal. Belgium’s contribution to the F-16 coalition will allow Ukraine to defend its territory and its population. Our contribution will also participate in the modernisation of fighter aircraft capacity for which our industrial base will provide its expertise and essential added value. This support for Ukraine will give it security guarantees in the long term. Finally, this decision also makes it possible to respect our operational commitments, the security of our territory and that of our allies. This has always been the priority for me.”
Belgium still has 51 F-16s in flying condition. The F-16 FA-95 made its last flight on September 8 and reached the 8,000-hour limit set by the manufacturer Lockheed Martin (LM).
In total, Belgium will have ordered 160 F-16s, some of which have since been modified to MLU (Mid Life Update) standard. The first examples represent the oldest fleet of F-16s in Europe.
Remember that the first F-35A should leave the LM assembly line in December 2023 and be delivered at the start of 2024 to the Belgian Air Component.
So typically Belgian. No wonder that each time the word ‘belgian’ appears in any discussion everone starts laughing