Two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, part of those acquired by Romania from the Kingdom of Norway, landed on Thursday at the 71st Air Base „General Emanoil Ionescu” in Câmpia Turzii, and they will be integrated into the equipment of the 571st Fighter Aviation Squadron within the 57th Air Base „Captain Aviator Constantin Cantacuzino” at Mihail Kogălniceanu.
According to the Ministry of National Defense, the operational capability of the squadron will be developed at the 71st Air Base, with the complete operationalization process to be achieved at the 57th Air Base upon the completion of the infrastructure project.
The new aircraft join those already in the inventory of the Romanian Air Force and will contribute to strengthening the security of our country by carrying out missions to defend the national and allied airspace, both in peacetime and crisis situations, within the Permanent Combat Service - Air Policing (SLP-PA), under national and NATO command.
The new batch of aircraft is part of the contract signed between the Government of Romania and the Government of the Kingdom of Norway for the acquisition of 32 F-16 aircraft, along with initial logistic support and a complementary package of goods and services provided by the Government of the United States of America.
The aircraft, delivered in operational condition, have the available resources that allow their use for a transitional period of at least 10 years, until transitioning to fifth-generation aircraft. Thus, the acquisition of Norwegian fighter jets represents, in fact, a transfer of capabilities between two allied states within NATO, as stated by the MoD.
So far, 18 aircraft have been delivered, of which 16 form the 48th Fighter Squadron at Câmpia Turzii and two will be integrated into the equipment of the 571st Fighter Aviation Squadron at Mihail Kogălniceanu.