Iohannis: We plan to buy state-of-the-art F-35 aircraft

The risks and threats to regional, European and Euro-Atlantic security have increased, said President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday, in Campia Turzii, pointing out that Romania needs to be very well prepared "to counter aggressive actions"."We are going through an extremely tense period, in which the risks and threats to regional, European and Euro-Atlantic security, including Romania's security, have been amplified. The tendencies to return to the politics of force and to challenge the current liberal international order, as well as the European security architecture built after the Cold War, are obvious. Under these circumstances, we need to be very well prepared to counter aggressive actions, including hybrid actions, for example in cyberspace. Romania acts firmly and consistently to strengthen NATO solidarity and unity, and the transatlantic relationship represents a main element of support for Allied cohesion," said the president, after visiting the 71st Air Base General Emanoil Ionescu in Campia Turzii, the Cluj County.He added that the military base at Campia Turzii is a very important one for the Romanian Army."I am pleased to see that we have concrete results of the modernization process of the air forces, but also of the ground forces, two basic components of our Army," President Iohannis said.Klaus Iohannis asserted that Romania has taken the first measures to modernize the armed forces since the beginning of 2015, when the Political Agreement on the allocation of 2 pct of GDP for Defense for a period of at least 10 years was signed."Since then, in accordance with the decisions assumed by Romania, within the North Atlantic Alliance, we have made continuous efforts to have the most advanced equipment and to optimize the preparation of military structures through exercises, increasingly complex exercises, including in allied format. The current context in our direct vicinity proves once again that these measures were necessary," Iohannis said."Dear military, the Romanian Army is a fundamental institution of the state, always dedicated to defending the independence, integrity and national sovereignty of Romania. The moral values on which its combative force is based, honour, homeland and duty, constitute the foundation of each military's mission. The Air Force has a major role to play in strengthening the defense capacity of our country, being able to execute complex missions of defending the Romanian air space, as well as to carry out air transport missions at sea distance. The new types of aircraft that are in the endowment of the Army, especially the F-16 aircraft, allow the execution with high efficiency of all specific missions. The modernization process of the Air Force will not stop here, however, we are considering to purchase state-of-the-art aircraft, the F-35," the president said.He stressed that Romania is determined to develop and further modernize its military capabilities, according to the commitments assumed within the North Atlantic Alliance."At the same time, we will continue to pay more attention to increasing the operational capacity of all military structures, both through national effort and in a multinational context. Continuing Romania's strategic efforts to guarantee the territorial integrity and security of its citizens, as well as to provide support to allied and partner states, in accordance with the international commitments undertaken, is a priority of the foreign and security policy of our country. At the same time, the increase of the resilience both at the level of the military structures and at the level of the public institutions and of the society as a whole represents a main direction of action subsumed to the implementation of the National Strategy for the Defense of the Country", said Iohannis.