Ukraine Will Receive Belgian F-16s Once the Transfer of French Onboard Electronic Warfare Systems Is Approved

Belgium’s transfer of three F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine will take place immediately after it signs an agreement with France to transfer the technology to a third party.

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Franken announced this in an interview with Ukrinform.

The need for additional approval arose because Belgium upgraded its F-16s with French radar warning systems. According to the defense minister, the approval process should not take long.

“We can do this fairly quickly. Our F-16s were modernized using French electronic warfare technology, so when we send them to Ukraine, we must have an agreement signed by France regarding transfer to a third party,” Theo Franken noted.

Immediately after receiving official permission from France, the Belgians will begin organizing logistics to ship the aircraft.

Carapace radar warning system

Belgian F-16 fighter jets are equipped with the French Carapace radar warning and threat detection system, developed by Dassault Electronique (now part of the Thales Group). The system is integrated into the aircraft’s fuselage and detects radiation from enemy radars, warns of missile launches, and automatically controls countermeasures, including the deployment of chaff and flares.

Belgian F-16s for Ukraine

Belgium plans to transfer the first three F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of the year.

On September 29, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the delivery timeline.

In June, Theo Franken said the country expects to deliver seven aircraft by the end of the year: four as a source of spare parts and three for combat missions.

The overall plan calls for transferring 53 Belgian F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of 2029.

According to the schedule, five aircraft are planned for delivery in 2027, 14 in 2028, and another 27 are expected to arrive in 2029.