F-16 fighter jets sit on the tarmac at the training center at the 86th Air Base near Fetesti, Romania. Ukrainian pilots will soon start F-16 training at the base. (Facebook/U.S. Embassy Bucharest)
A new F-16 training center that will host Ukrainian pilots opened this week in NATO member Romania, which also just received the green light from the State Department to buy U.S. Abrams tanks.
The joint Romanian-Dutch F-16 initiative was inaugurated Monday at the 86th Air Base, near the southeastern town of Fetesti.
“This demonstrated what we could achieve together in support of Ukraine while providing a platform conducive to the calibration of our efforts with those of the allies and regional partners,” Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar said during the ceremony.
Ukrainian pilots will soon be integrated into the program, which also will train aviators from Romania and other NATO countries that fly the F-16, he said.
Kathleen Kavalec, the U.S. ambassador to Romania, speaks Nov. 13, 2023, at the inauguration of the F-16 regional training center at the 86th Air Base near Fetesti, Romania. (Lucian Crusoveanu / Public Diplomacy Office)
Last week, Romania got initial approval for a $2.5 billion purchase of M1A2 Abrams, following in the footsteps of Poland, which also has acquired the American-made battle tank.
The purchase involves 54 tanks and a wide range of supporting hardware and ammunition. It still requires congressional approval.
The new F-16 initiative highlights Romania’s increasingly prominent role in security on NATO’s southeastern flank. For the U.S., it serves as the center of gravity in the Black Sea region, much like the role Poland plays on the northeastern flank.
The training of Ukrainians is expected to last about six months. Last week, five Dutch F-16s designated for them arrived at the base, and at least a dozen more aircraft are also expected to arrive soon.
Kyiv has long sought to incorporate the U.S.-made warplane into its arsenal as the Russia-Ukraine war drags on. In the U.S., separate efforts are underway to train Ukrainians on the F-16.
