Norway Pledged Six F-16s to Ukraine. They’re Still Stuck in Belgium.

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Of the six F-16s promised by Norway to Ukraine, four of them still need heavy maintenance at a facility in Belgium before they can be deployed to the battlefield.

The war in Ukraine is now in its fifth year, and despite efforts by the Trump administration to end the conflict, neither side seems any closer to reaching a peace deal. Even as Kyiv continues to receive aid from Western allies, it faces severe strain and could use additional support.

It was three years ago that the United States agreed to allow multiple NATO members to donate F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to Ukraine, with nearly 90 aircraft pledged. The exact number that has arrived to date remains undisclosed for security reasons, yet it was reported this week that six of the Norwegian donated fighter jets remain in Belgium.

The Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark have also provided Ukraine with F-16s, and Denmark also pledged to donate to Kyiv the proceeds from its sale of 24 Fighting Falcons last year to Argentina. The first of those aircraft arrived in South America in December.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon’s Specifications

Year Introduced: 1978

Length: 47 ft 8 in (14.52 m)

Wingspan: 31 ft (9.45 m)

Weight (MTOW): 37,500 lbs (16,875 kg)

Engine(s): One Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 afterburning turbofan (23,000 lbf thrust static sea level)

Top Speed: 1,319 mph (2,122 km/h) / Mach 1.73

Range: 1,260 mi (2,027 km)

Service Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,240 m)

Loadout: One General Electric M61A1 20mm six-barrel cannon; up to 15,200 lbs on nine hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles (AIM-9 Sidewinder on wingtip rails; alternatives include the MATRA Magic 2 or Rafael Python 3)

Aircrew: 1 (F-16A) or 2 (F-16B)

There are approximately 3,000 operational F-16s in service today with more than 25 countries, a testament to what is easily the world’s most successful, combat-proven multirole jetfighter ever produced. 

Ukraine’s F-16s Still Need to Be Put Together

It is true that two of the six jets were previously utilized to train Ukrainian pilots in Denmark and were subsequently sent to Belgium for repairs and upgrades.

The remaining four were not “flight-ready” and instead were shipped by transport aircraft from Norway a year ago, in April 2025.

“All of them are still at the same Sabena workshop in Belgium,” Ukrainska Pravda reported.

The dismantled aircraft required more extensive work than was initially understood, and the capacity issues at the workshop have delayed the process. The problem has been made worse as the aircraft wasn’t complete upon arrival.

“Each of the four aircraft delivered in crates to Sabena in Belgium is missing roughly 100 parts. Assembling them will take a lot of time,” a Ukrainian army consultant told Norway’s domestic NRK news agency.

It is unclear whether the Norwegian military was aware of the aircraft’s condition when they were pledged to Kyiv. However, Norwegian Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik acknowledged that all six F-16s remain at the Belgian workshop, awaiting repairs.

“At present, the aircraft are undergoing preparation at Sabena in Belgium,” Sandvik told Ukrainska Pravda. “Ukraine, in consultation with donor countries, sets the priorities at Sabena, including the preparation of new jets and maintenance of aircraft already in use in Ukraine.”

In addition to the half-dozen F-16s provided to Ukraine, the remainder of its fleet was sold to NATO ally Romania, and those aircraft were flyable and ready for combat operations.

“The 32 aircraft in the best condition, along with repair equipment and spare parts, were later sold to Romania by agreement to support an allied country in strengthening NATO in Southern Europe,” Sandvik said.

Even if Norway’s six F-16s never take flight again, the aircraft could still be used for spare parts, which could keep the remainder of Ukraine’s flock of Fighting Falcons operational. 

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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