Norway Still Has Not Delivered Promised F-16 Fighters to Ukraine

Six F-16 fighter jets that Norway had pledged to Ukraine remain undelivered, as revealed in an interview published on Wednesday, April 8, on the NRK website. In the interview, an advisor from a Western country collaborating with the Ukrainian Air Force noted that these aircraft could significantly enhance Ukraine's defense capabilities.

"These six planes would have saved lives this winter and better protected infrastructure. We would have been able to shoot down more Russian missiles and drones," emphasized the NRK source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

It is worth recalling that in August 2023, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced during his visit to Ukraine the intention to transfer six fighter jets. However, according to multiple sources from NRK, two of these aircraft have been undergoing repairs in Belgium for over a year, while the remaining four F-16s were unable to take to the skies and were sent to the Belgian company Sabena in disassembled form in April 2025.

NRK reports that the scope of work required on the four aircraft is substantial, and it will take approximately a year to complete repairs if work begins immediately. The publication indicates that Sabena is facing serious capacity issues regarding the maintenance and preparation of F-16s. This is believed to be the primary reason why the Norwegian planes have not yet arrived in Ukraine.

Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik confirmed that the jets are indeed still undergoing repairs in Belgium. He also noted that the best F-16 fighters that Norway had in its arsenal were transferred to Romania. "The 32 aircraft that were in the best condition, along with workshop equipment and spare parts, were later sold to Romania to support our allied country in strengthening NATO in Southern Europe," Sandvik emphasized.

At the same time, he stated that Norway decided to gift the aircraft to Ukraine, although they were not in good condition. "It was well known that the planes required significant repairs. This differs from Denmark and the Netherlands, which continued to operate the F-16 system in 2023 and could take aircraft directly from combat service. The government still decided to transfer the planes, as it considered this a better option than not transferring them at all," the Norwegian minister noted.

NRK also pointed out that in May 2025, Sandvik stated that some of the aircraft had already been delivered to Ukraine, with the remainder planned for delivery within the year. "The donation of Norwegian F-16s is proceeding according to plan, but for operational security reasons and after dialogue with Ukraine, we do not want to disclose how many Norwegian aircraft have been transferred," the minister said at that time.

In June 2025, the publication Military reported, citing Norway's annual report on the import and export of conventional arms, that Norway planned to transfer 14 F-16 fighters to Ukraine, although only six had been officially announced for delivery. However, the report did not clarify the condition of the eight previously unannounced aircraft. The publication speculated that the "surplus" planes might be unfit for flight but could be used for parts or as decoy models.

Thus, the situation regarding the transfer of F-16 fighters to Ukraine remains uncertain, and Ukrainian military officials are hopeful for a swift resolution to strengthen their defense capabilities amid the ongoing conflict.