Romania plans to purchase 12 more F-16 fighter jets in 2017

a
World Defense & Security News - Romania
 
 
Romania plans to purchase 12 more F-16 fighter jets in 2017
 
According to the local media Romania-Insider, Romania will buy 12 more F-16 fighter airplanes, the Ministry of Defense being in charge of preparing the acquisition procedures this year, according to the country's Defense Minister Mihnea Motoc.
     
Romania plans to purchase 12 more F 16 fighter jets in 2017 640 001Romania acquired 12 former F-16 A/B fighter jets from the Portuguese Air Force in 2013
     
The auction will be organized in 2017 and the airplanes, which might be second-hand, will be purchased from other NATO member states.

So far, we have requested information from all the allied countries which operate such devices, including the US and five European allies,” the Minister said for local Europa FM.

The first F-16 airplanes Romania bought from Portugal are to arrive in the country in September. The planes’ cost amounted to around EUR 630 million, including their upgrade by American company Lockheed Martin and the pilots’ training.

Romania signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. Government in December 2013 which provides programmatic support to a U.S.-approved third party transfer of F-16 aircraft from Portugal to Romania. That agreement delivers 12 F-16 block 20 Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) aircraft to Romania beginning in 2016.

Romania purchased the 12 F-16AM/BM fighters to replace part of its fleet of Russian built MiG-21 Lancer fighter aircraft and thus bring its air force up to NATO standards.

(Source: Romania-Insider)