F-16 Pilot Training Centre in Romania
On 31 August 2023, a Letter of Intent (LoI) was signed by Lockheed Martin and Romania and the Netherlands to set up an F-16 Pilot Training Centre in Romania. The centre will first be used to train Romanian pilots, but according to the information relased the centre may eventually train Ukrainian pilots and other regional users of the F-16.
Although no details were given on the location, it was reported by the Romanian Ministry of Defence (MoD) the new training centre will be set up at Baza 86 Aeriana Fetesti. This air base houses one squadron of Fortele Aeriene ale Romaniei (FAR, Romanian Air Force) F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcons, Escadrila 53 Vânătoare Warhawks.
The Romanian Air Force currently operates 17 F-16AM/BM fighters and another 32 former Luftforsvaret (RNoAF, Royal Norwegian Air Force) are on order. On 4 November 2022 the Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) signed the contract with the FAR for the sale of the F-16AM/BMs and on 30 June 2023 the US State Department made a determination approving the possible sale.
Lockheed Martin stated that “Aircrews from the Netherlands and Romania currently train with Lockheed Martin F-16 simulators, and this training centre will support readiness through an affordable, efficient sequence of ground-based and flight training missions.” The LoI comes after the US approved the re-export of the F-16s to Ukraine, which was closely followed by The Netherlands and Denmark pledging up to 61 aircraft to Kyiv.
According to the Romanian Ministry of Defence (MoD) an undisclosed number of Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force) F-16s will be deployed to the Fetesti “in order to implement this project.”
Starting from this month, some Ukrainian pilots are receiving language training in the UK and the US prior to an F-16 training programme at Morris Air National Guard Base, Tucson (AZ), where most Foreign Military Sales (FMS) F-16 pilots receive instruction. The training in Tucson is complementary to the European efforts to ensure capacity and accommodate the need for F-16 training in Europe.
Photo by René Sleegers (Scramble Archive)