Military aviation: Romania goes to the hands of the US, with second-hand F-16s

By RBJ
On Friday, November 4, at the headquarters of Romtehnica (the trading company of the Romanian Ministry of Defense), the contract for the purchase by the Romanian Ministry of National Defense of 32 F-16 aircraft from the Government of the Kingdom of Norway was signed.
The Ministry of National Defense (MApN) obtained, in December 2021, the approval of the Romanian Parliament for the initiation of procurement procedures and their development according to the provisions of Law no. 214 of 2022.
The military institution agreed with the Norwegian representatives on the contract for the purchase of 32 F-16 aircraft in the M6.5.2 configuration, spare engines and logistical support. The value of the contract signed today with the Government of the Kingdom of Norway is 388 million euros and will run for a period of for three years, with the first aircraft to be delivered towards the end of 2023.
According to a press release of MApN, the contract is developed with the support of the Government of the United States of America. In this sense, the Government of Romania sent the “Letter of request” type letter addressed to the US Government, for which it is anticipated to receive an answer by the end of the year.
Norway’s 32 F-16s will have a resource available for at least 10 years
The planes will be delivered to Romania in operational condition, with an available resource that will allow their operation by the Romanian Air Force for a period of at least 10 years, respectively during the transition period to V-generation planes.
The purchase of the 32 planes from the Government of the Kingdom of Norway represents, in fact, a transfer of capability between two NATO member states, to increase Romania’s defense capacity and ensure the national contribution to collective defense within the North Atlantic Alliance.
Currently, the Romanian Air Force has 17 F-16 aircraft in the M5.2R configuration, which will be upgraded to the M6.6 configuration, purchased based on the provisions of the Concept for the gradual realization of the air defense capability within the “Multirole Aircraft of of the Air Force”.
The missions specific to the Permanent Combat Service – Air Police (SLP-PA) are executed with F-16 and MiG-21 LanceR aircraft, but the use of the latter is a short-term solution (one year).
The gradual decommissioning of the MiG-21 LanceR aircraft and the need for the permanent execution of the Combat Service – Air Police with F-16 aircraft, combined with the evolution of the regional security environment, determined the need to identify a solution that would allow the defense of the airspace of of Romania with F-16 aircraft and the execution of the SLP-PA with F-16 aircraft, according to the commitments made to NATO.
(the trading company of the Romanian Ministry of Defense), the contract for the purchase by the Romanian Ministry of National Defense of 32 F-16 aircraft from the Government of the Kingdom of Norway was signed.
The Ministry of National Defense (MApN) obtained, in December 2021, the approval of the Romanian Parliament for the initiation of procurement procedures and their development according to the provisions of Law no. 214 of 2022.
The military institution agreed with the Norwegian representatives on the contract for the purchase of 32 F-16 aircraft in the M6.5.2 configuration, spare engines and logistical support. The value of the contract signed today with the Government of the Kingdom of Norway is 388 million euros and will run for a period of for three years, with the first aircraft to be delivered towards the end of 2023.
According to a press release of MApN, the contract is developed with the support of the Government of the United States of America. In this sense, the Government of Romania sent the “Letter of request” type letter addressed to the US Government, for which it is anticipated to receive an answer by the end of the year.
Norway’s 32 F-16s will have a resource available for at least 10 years
The planes will be delivered to Romania in operational condition, with an available resource that will allow their operation by the Romanian Air Force for a period of at least 10 years, respectively during the transition period to V-generation planes.
The purchase of the 32 planes from the Government of the Kingdom of Norway represents, in fact, a transfer of capability between two NATO member states, to increase Romania’s defense capacity and ensure the national contribution to collective defense within the North Atlantic Alliance.
Currently, the Romanian Air Force has 17 F-16 aircraft in the M5.2R configuration, which will be upgraded to the M6.6 configuration, purchased based on the provisions of the Concept for the gradual realization of the air defense capability within the “Multirole Aircraft of of the Air Force”.
The missions specific to the Permanent Combat Service – Air Police (SLP-PA) are executed with F-16 and MiG-21 LanceR aircraft, but the use of the latter is a short-term solution (one year).
The gradual decommissioning of the MiG-21 LanceR aircraft and the need for the permanent execution of the Combat Service – Air Police with F-16 aircraft, combined with the evolution of the regional security environment, determined the need to identify a solution that would allow the defense of the airspace of of Romania with F-16 aircraft and the execution of the SLP-PA with F-16 aircraft, according to the commitments made to NATO.
(the trading company of the Romanian Ministry of Defense), the contract for the purchase by the Romanian Ministry of National Defense of 32 F-16 aircraft from the Government of the Kingdom of Norway was signed.
The Ministry of National Defense (MApN) obtained, in December 2021, the approval of the Romanian Parliament for the initiation of procurement procedures and their development according to the provisions of Law no. 214 of 2022.
The military institution agreed with the Norwegian representatives on the contract for the purchase of 32 F-16 aircraft in the M6.5.2 configuration, spare engines and logistical support. The value of the contract signed today with the Government of the Kingdom of Norway is 388 million euros and will run for a period of for three years, with the first aircraft to be delivered towards the end of 2023.
According to a press release of MApN, the contract is developed with the support of the Government of the United States of America. In this sense, the Government of Romania sent the “Letter of request” type letter addressed to the US Government, for which it is anticipated to receive an answer by the end of the year.
Norway’s 32 F-16s will have a resource available for at least 10 years
The planes will be delivered to Romania in operational condition, with an available resource that will allow their operation by the Romanian Air Force for a period of at least 10 years, respectively during the transition period to V-generation planes.
The purchase of the 32 planes from the Government of the Kingdom of Norway represents, in fact, a transfer of capability between two NATO member states, to increase Romania’s defense capacity and ensure the national contribution to collective defense within the North Atlantic Alliance.
Currently, the Romanian Air Force has 17 F-16 aircraft in the M5.2R configuration, which will be upgraded to the M6.6 configuration, purchased based on the provisions of the Concept for the gradual realization of the air defense capability within the “Multirole Aircraft of of the Air Force”.
The missions specific to the Permanent Combat Service – Air Police (SLP-PA) are executed with F-16 and MiG-21 LanceR aircraft, but the use of the latter is a short-term solution (one year).
The gradual decommissioning of the MiG-21 LanceR aircraft and the need for the permanent execution of the Combat Service – Air Police with F-16 aircraft, combined with the evolution of the regional security environment, determined the need to identify a solution that would allow the defense of the airspace of of Romania with F-16 aircraft and the execution of the SLP-PA with F-16 aircraft, according to the commitments made to NATO.