De Croo: 'We need our F-16s for another two to four years'
Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo is cautious about the fate of Belgium's F-16 jets when they are withdrawn from service. Belgium still needs the planes for a period of two to four years, he said, while not ruling out their use in Ukraine.
The Belgian military has ordered new F-35 fighter jets from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin to replace its old F-16s, but the first F-35s are not expected to be delivered until 2025. "We still need our F-16s for a while because it takes time to deliver the F-35s," De Croo said in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
In-depth analysis
"If we no longer need the F-16s and the analysis shows that they are at the end of their service life, the question is what the potential of these aircraft is for Ukraine," he said. "For example, they could be used in Ukraine only for training purposes and not for combat missions. That's why we asked the ministry of Defence to carry out in-depth analysis. But this is for the long term, because we need them for another two to four years."
Belgium's old F-16s could, for example, "be used in Ukraine only for training purposes and not for combat missions".
Belgium decided a few months ago to join an F-16 coalition led by the Netherlands and Denmark. Unlike those two countries, Belgium will not be providing bombers that are at the end of their service life, but it will contribute to the training of Ukrainian pilots. Another factor is that the Netherlands and Denmark will receive their F-35s, which will replace the F-16s, earlier than Belgium.
On Friday, the Belgian government confirmed its decision to train six Ukrainian instructors and four mission planners who will then train Ukrainian pilots and other personnel. In addition, the Belgian military will send a team of three military personnel to a training centre for Ukrainian F-16 pilots in Denmark.
© BELGA PHOTO KRISTOF VAN ACCOM
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