F-16 Fighting Falcon News

November 10, 2025 (by Lieven Dewitte) - Romania has formally taken ownership of 18 F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcons previously operated by the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The transfer agreement between the two governments was signed on November 3, 2025, at the Romanian Ministry of National Defence in Bucharest.
The aircraft have been stationed at Fetești Air Base as part of the European F-16 Training Center (EFTC), jointly operated by Romania, the Netherlands, and Lockheed Martin. The EFTC provides advanced F-16 training for Romanian pilots as well as for allied and Ukrainian aircrews.

These 18 aircraft bring Romania’s F-16 inventory to approximately 67 jets when combined with prior acquisitions including ex-Norwegian airframes. Although the transfer is often described as a “symbolic” sale for €1, the logistics support package and VAT incurred amount to multiple millions of euros.

Romania previously purchased 17 ex-Norwegian F-16s to expand its fleet, which now totals 35 operational aircraft before the latest addition. These Dutch airframes are expected to supplement both training and operational roles while ensuring standardization across the fleet.

The Fetești-based training center, inaugurated in 2023, is the first of its kind in Europe, offering a full F-16 pilot training pipeline supported by Lockheed Martin. The program is expected to evolve further as European nations transition to the F-35, with discussions already underway to integrate advanced training modules.

According to officials, the newly transferred jets will continue to be used for pilot instruction under the EFTC framework while maintaining operational readiness for Romania’s air defense.