Ukraine denies F-16 crisis over maintenance and parts

Ukraine on Friday (October 3, 2026) denied that it was facing maintenance and supply problems with its F-16 fighter jets, insisting that it can keep them in the air throughout winter.

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that delays in maintenance and a shortage of parts had grounded more than half of Ukraine’s fleet, and all of its US-made aircraft could be affected by the year-end.

Kyiv pushed its Western allies for it to be given advanced fighter jets after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 and finally received its first batch of F-16s two years later.

The jets are used to counter the threat from fast-moving jet-powered drones, which Russia is increasingly using across Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv, and which are harder to shoot down.

The WSJ said there was a “support failure” because of the time it takes to inspect engines, hydraulics, fuel lines and other systems after 300 hours of flying.

Foreign ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy acknowledged that Ukraine’s F-16s operate “intensively and under demanding conditions” and maintenance was “challenging”.

“Certain components for this early F-16 variant are no longer in production and are becoming increasingly difficult to source,” he wrote on X on Friday.

“However, recent reports alleging catastrophically low aircraft availability rates and excessively long maintenance turnaround times are simply false,” he added.

Mr. Tykhy said overhauled aircraft from allies were now being delivered faster than before.

“We have full confidence in our industry partners and their ability to further optimise sustainment processes, ensuring the highest possible levels of F-16 readiness and availability during the coming winter months, when these capabilities will be needed most,” he said.

Belgian company Sabena Engineering, which services Ukraine’s F-16s, also denied what it called “erroneous reports citing significant delays in this critical maintenance program”.

“All appropriate measures are being proactively implemented, in collaboration with its government and industry partners, to maximise aircraft availability and return the aircraft to service,” it said in a statement on Thursday.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is pushing for advanced US-made Patriot interceptors to combat Russian drones and missiles, said on Tuesday that Belgium would supply three more F-16s by the year-end.