© Office of the President of Ukraine The Defense Minister declared last year that Ukraine would possess all of the warplanes by the close of 2025.
Ukraine has not yet been provided with any of the half-dozen F-16 warplanes that Norway pledged to supply to the Ukrainian Air Force, NRK mentions , referencing three confidential sources.
According to media accounts, a pair of the six planes, which previously served in Denmark for Ukrainian pilot instruction, are presently undergoing servicing in Belgium. These repairs are anticipated to extend beyond a year.
An additional four F-16s were rendered unflyable, hence they were dispatched to the Sabena repair facility in Belgium in a dismantled state in April 2025.
Reporters have discovered that this establishment faces notable difficulties regarding its capacity for F-16 aircraft upkeep and mending. Sources indicate that this represents the primary justification for the Norwegian F-16s’ failure to reach Ukraine thus far.
“The four aircraft that were shipped in boxes to Sabena in Belgium are each missing roughly 100 components. Consequently, their reassembly will demand a considerable timeframe,” an advisor to the Ukrainian Air Force informed NRK.
In statements to the press, Defense Minister Tore Sandvik verified that the aircraft remain in Belgium. He communicated that ownership of the aircraft was conveyed to Ukraine in 2024 and 2025.
The minister further noted that the most proficient F-16s in Norway’s possession upon ceasing their utilization were allocated to Romania, rather than Ukraine.
“It was decided that the 32 aircraft, which were in optimal condition, alongside workshop tools and extra components, would be sold to Romania to assist the allied country in reinforcing NATO within Southern Europe,” Sandvik states.
The Defense Minister asserts that they opted to contribute the aircraft to Ukraine, even given their suboptimal state.
“It was widely understood that the aircraft necessitated meticulous preparation. The government opted to bestow the aircraft notwithstanding, as it deemed this a more favorable course of action than refraining from donation,” the minister clarified.
As a reminder, in May 2025, Tore Sandvik conveyed in discussion with the Norwegian broadcaster NRK that Ukraine would obtain all intended F-16 fighters completely by the culmination of 2025. According to him, a selection of the combat aircraft had already been handed over to the Ukrainian side.