More than half of Ukraine's F-16s are currently grounded in maintenance limbo, and the remaining operational aircraft may be exhausted by the end of the year. The U.S. awarded Sabena a contract of up to $235.5 million for maintenance, but phase inspections are taking as long as 40 weeks in Belgium. This exceeds the typical two to six week window for the same process when performed in the United States.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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Ukraine Cannibalizes 4 of 7 New F-16s to Fix Maintenance Crisis
War20 days ago
Belgium will provide fighter jets to Kyiv in 2026 that are intended for scrapping rather than combat operations. Four of the seven F-16s scheduled for delivery will serve as parts donors to sustain the current fleet due to a dire shortage of spare parts and a chronic lack of skilled personnel at Sabena Aerospace Engineering. The maintenance provider has a roughly 40 aircraft backlog, as it can only complete four inspections per month, with only two other European companies capable of providing similar depot-level service.
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