Belgium to provide F-16s for training of Ukrainian pilots

Belgium will provide its fighter jets to train Ukrainian pilots.

According to Ukrainian media Novynarnia six Ukrainian instructors and four mission planning specialists will be trained in Belgium following a government decision.

They will further train Ukrainian pilots and other personnel on F-16 fighter jets.

In addition, it is reported that in the coming weeks, the Belgian Defense Ministry will send a group of military personnel to a training center for Ukrainian F-16 pilots in Denmark.

It is reported that in 2024, Belgium will send two F-16Bs to Denmark for advanced training, as well as a contingent of military and technical personnel responsible for the deployment of the fighters.

As Militarnyi previously reported, Belgium will hand over Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles purchased from Germany to Ukraine.

Belgium bought eight missiles of this type from Germany, which were used on German Bremen-class frigates.

It is known that Belgium has about 43 F-16s in A and B variants, which the country plans to replace with the latest fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets.

As previously reported, the first F-35 multirole fighter for the Belgian Air Force has entered the final stage of assembly in the United States.

Denmark and the Netherlands are transferring their F-16A/B MLU (Mid-Life Update) variants to Ukraine.

Other countries, like Belgium, are gradually replacing their F-16s with the latest F-35s.

Militarnyi recently reported that Denmark received the first four fifth-generation fighter jets.