First three F-16 aircraft purchased by Romania from Norway land at Borcea airbase

The first three F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft purchased by Romania from the Kingdom of Norway landed, on Wednesday, at the 86th "Locotenent aviator Gheorghe Mociornita" airbase in Borcea, reports the Ministry of Defence.The acquisition of the new batch of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and the related package of goods and services will ensure the increase of Romania's security by defending the national or NATO airspace, in peacetime and in crisis situations, through the Permanent Combat Service - Air Police (SLP-PA), under the command of NATO, shows the same source.Brigadier General Valeriu Rosu, the deputy head of the Department for the relationship with the Parliament and the quality of life of the personnel, appreciated that this completion of the endowment of the Romanian Air Force with the second and third squadrons of F-16 aircraft will further strengthen international partnerships, "becoming a model of collaboration and solidarity between the Allies, in a consolidated effort to counter the challenges in our region.""The Norwegian government appreciates the importance of this programme for Romania and remains fully committed to the delivery of all 32 aircraft, together with the necessary support for the development of this capacity in the coming years," said Eivind Vad Petersson, secretary of state with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.According to the Concept for the gradual building of the air defence capability, within the "Multirole Air Force Aircraft" programme, the Government of Romania awarded the Government of the Kingdom of Norway the agreement for the purchase of 32 F-16 aircraft, with initial logistic support and a package of complementary goods and services (from the Government of the United States of America).The aircraft will ensure the fulfillment of the new existing requirements at the NATO level, and later they will be introduced in the modernisation program in the same configuration (M6.X) as the F-16 aircraft from the first squadron, which are already part of the endowment of the Romanian Air Force. This solution ensures the involvement of the national defence industry in the maintenance and modernisation of F-16 aircraft, through the company Aerostar Bacau.Currently, the Romanian Air Force has 17 F-16 aircraft purchased based on the provisions of the Concept for the gradual building of the air defence capability within the programme "Multirole Aircraft of the Air Force."