DefenseUS Air Force awards $235 million F-16 support contract for Ukraine
The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded a contract valued at up to $235.4 million to Sabena Aerospace Engineering to provide maintenance and support services for F-16 fighter jets supplied to Ukraine under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
According to a contract announcement from the US Department of Defense, the agreement covers intermediate- and depot-level maintenance for aircraft and engines, as well as material and supply chain management. The work supports the F-16 System Program Office and is directly linked to FMS support for Ukraine.
Sabena Aerospace Engineering, based in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium, received a ceiling-value contract worth up to $235,449,716. The contract combines time-and-materials and firm fixed-price elements, allowing adjustments based on maintenance requirements over the performance period.
At the time of award, $69.7 million in FMS funds had been obligated. Contract execution is scheduled through Jan. 28, 2029, with work to be performed at Sabena’s facilities in Belgium. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting authority.
The contract was awarded on a sole-source basis. Sabena Aerospace has longstanding experience supporting the F-16 platform for European air forces and NATO operators, including structural maintenance, avionics work, and engine-related activities.
Under the agreement, Sabena will carry out scheduled inspections, structural repairs, component overhauls, and associated logistics functions required to keep the aircraft operational. The use of a European maintenance provider allows support activities to be conducted closer to the aircraft’s operating area.
The Ukrainian Air Force has been receiving several dozen second-hand F-16 fighter jets from countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium since 2024. Some of these aircraft have ended up crashing or being shot down in action.
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