Belgium now has 3 more F-35s: Are Ukraine’s F-16s any closer to transfer?

Three more F-35As have flown through the Portuguese Azores islands in the mid-Atlantic to their new home in Belgium. The fighter jets touched down at Florennes Air Base, bringing Belgium’s in-country inventory up to seven F-35s.

This should allow the first group of F-16 Fighting Falcons to be handed off to Ukraine this year.

Belgium now has a third of its planned F-35 fleet

The Belgian Ministry of Defence did not disclose how many new F-35s arrived at Florennes, but it is understood to be three (FL-013, FL-015, and FL-016) thanks to aviation spotters. According to Defense Express, Belgium has received 15 F-35As, of which eight remain in the United States for training.

The first batch of four Belgian F-35s arrived at Florennes in October 2025. The deliveries were celebrated with chocolate in true Belgian style, and even King Philippe was there to welcome the aircraft. But this second batch has arrived without fanfare.

One more Belgian F-35A (serial FL014) is expected to cross to Belgium before the end of 2026, bringing the 2nd Tactical Wing at Florennes in Belgium to eight.

According to the Belgian news outlet L’Avenir, the three F-35As were supported in their Atlantic crossing by a pair of US KC-135 Stratotankers. They departed Lockheed’s Fort Worth plant on Tuesday.

Timeline of planned Belgium deliveries

Officially, Belgium has a programme of record to purchase 34 F-35s to replace its ageing fleet of F-16s, but it has stated that it plans to purchase another 11 and bring the total to 45.

Belgium signed the contract for 34 F-35As in 2018, with it finalised in 2020. The first Belgian F-35A rolled out of the assembly line in December 2023, followed by the first delivery to a training unit in December 2024.

The training fleet was then built up to eight, with the first examples delivered in October 2025. Another batch of four F-35As is expected to arrive in Belgium in the first quarter of 2027.

These will head to Kleine-Brogel Air Force, which will be the second F-35 operating base. Belgium is targeting Initial Operational Capability around mid-2027. Full Operational Capability will come by 2031.

Deliveries of the final order of 11 F-35s are expected in the late 2020s or early 2030s, and these might be assembled at the Lockheed Martin facility in Cameri, Italy.

When will Belgium transfer its F-16s to Ukraine?

Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands have completed their transition from the F-16 to the F-35, with their F-16s now disposed of (mostly to Ukraine, Argentina, and Romania).

However, Belgium has a later timeline and will now donate its entire fleet of 53 F-16s to Ukraine, although it can’t do so until the F-35s start working up. Some F-16s will remain in service with the Belgian Air Force until 2028. Prior to 2026, Belgium had only pledged 30 of the Fighting Falcons.

Under the timeline given by Belgium earlier this year, the delivery of the first seven F-16s should take place this year. These are likely to include three combat-capable aircraft and four non-operational Falcons for spare parts.

Another five are expected to head to Ukraine in 2027. This will rise to 14 in 2028 and the remaining 27 in 2029.