F-16 Fighting Falcon News

July 31, 2024 (by Lieven Dewitte) - In November 2023, the Fetești AB in Romania inaugurated a European Training Center for F-16 fighter aircraft. Seven Romanian pilots, who started their training at that time, have now finished their courses and achieved their "mission-ready" status.
These graduates are the first F-16 pilots trained in the nation since the centre was operationalised.

The graduation ceremony took place at the Borcea Air Base, during which F-16 demonstration flights were organised.

"Hollywood" is one of the first seven pilots who trained at the European Training Centre in Fetești. He amassed nearly 500 flight hours in the seven years he had operated Mig-21 aeroplanes and needed training to transition to the F-16.

"The Mig-21, as you know, is an aircraft of Eastern origin and the flight philosophy of an aircraft of Western origin is a little different. However, we on the Mig-21 have always flown to NATO standards. Thus, for us the transition was probably much easier than it is probably going to be for the pilots of other nations", he explained.

Being designated "mission-ready" means the pilots can now operate the aircraft in their assigned squadrons. They took theory classes, trained in the simulator and began flying with instructors in January. Solo flights followed, during which they simulated all kinds of combat operations.

"We're very proud of them. The trainees have completed the most difficult program required of a military airman. And the multi-role aeroplane makes this by far the most difficult training we have so far. All the trainees simulated combat with both F-18 Hornet and Typhoon aircraft," "Wizard", an instructor contracted by Lockheed Martin said.

The Romanian trainees have completed 200+ hours of theoretical training, 500+ hours of simulator training and 400+ hours of flying.

During this course, the trainee pilots learned not only how to operate the F-16, but also how to use team intelligence while executing modern air-to-air and air-to-ground flight tactics.

Romania now has a squadron of F-16 fighter jets with which the military carries out air patrol sorties. They also scrambled for surveillance flights during Russia's latest attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube.

The planes have a combat range of more than 500 kilometres and are constantly on alert to combat threats in the airspace.

The first nine of the 32 second-hand aeroplanes purchased from the Norwegian government have been delivered to Romania.
In early July three of those arrived at the 71st General Emanoil Ionescu Air Base at Campia Turzii, central-western Cluj County where they will be part of the 48th Fighter Squadron of the 71st Air Base.

The completion of the reception of the entire batch is estimated for the end of 2025. These jets will ensure their operation for a transition period, of at least 10 years, to the fifth-generation aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II.

The Netherlands Air Force provided the F-16 pilot training centre with 14 aircraft, seven single and seven with dual controls, for practice.

The training centre in Fetești can also train F-16 pilots who have never flown fighter planes before.