The Romanian Ministry of Defense has signed a contract with the Dutch government to purchase 18 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets along with the necessary equipment. This was announced by Romanian Defense Minister Ionut Musteanu.
According to him, these aircraft will be used exclusively for training at the European F-16 Training Center in Feteşti, which has already become a regional hub for pilot training for NATO countries and alliance partners. Musteanu noted that the agreement was signed for a symbolic amount of just 1 euro.
“This is a smart investment in training, cooperation and the future. This project reflects the trust of our Dutch partners and the recognition of the professionalism of the Romanian Air Force, he stressed.
As a reminder, Romania will finance the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets at the Fetești base. The training will be paid for from the state budget through the country’s Ministry of National Defense (MApN).
“The costs are intended to pay for contracts necessary for the training of Ukrainian personnel, as well as for accommodation, meals, transportation, fuel consumed during the training process, provision of special equipment and other related goods and services,” – the MApN document states.
