Romanian Air Force final F-16 delivery
The final F-16AM, serial 1615 (ex Portugal 15134), for the Forțele Aeriene ale României (FAR, Romanian Air Force) is planned to be delivered on 25 March 2021.
Last month, on 24 February, Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal S.A. at Alverca (OGMA) delivered this F-16 painted in the Romanian Air Force camouflage to the Portuguese Air Force at Monte Real where final testing would take place and where the FAR-markings and tailnumber would be applied.
The fighter will depart Monte Real (Portugal) early in the morning towards Aviano air base (Italy), where it will make a short stop before continuing to it’s new home base, Borcea/Fetesti (Romania).
The FAR ordered their third-hand F-16s in two seperate batches in Portugal. In 2013, the Romanian government signed a contract with their counterparts in Portugal for the delivery of twelve F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcons. This batch was delivered between October 2016 and September 2017. In 2019, a second contract was signed for another five F-16AMs. Two were delivered in August 2020 and another two in October 2020.
With the final F-16 arriving on the 25 March, the deliveries have been completed and the FAR has now a proud inventory of seventeen Fighting Falcons, consisting of fourteen single seat and three dual seat aircraft. All F-16AM/BMs are operated by Escadrila 53 Vanatoare Warhawks / Baza 86 Aeriană at Borcea/Fetesti.
Overview of the Romanian Air Force Fighting Falcon fleet:
For detailed information on the Romanian Air Order of Battle please visit here.
Photo: OGMA-Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal SA