Final ex-Portuguese F-16 arrives in Romania
Chief of the Defence Staff Lt Gen Daniel Petrescu at the reception ceremony for the F-16 aircraft at Borcea Air Base, 26 March 2021. (Photo: Romanian MoD)
Landing at Borcea Air Base marks the completion of an eight-year programme to acquire second-hand F-16s for the Romanian Air Force. The next step is an upgrade in 2023-2025.
The 17th and final ex-Portuguese Air Force F-16 multirole fighter aircraft for Romania landed in-country at Borcea Air Base on 25 March.
This marked the completion of a programme that began in 2013 when the Romanian Air Force ordered 12 F-16 Block 15 MLU fighters (nine F-16AMs and three F-16BMs) from Portugal for €628 million ($701 million) deal.
A second order for five F-16s (including one twin-seater) followed in a 2019 contract (worth an estimated $250 million according to Shephard Defence Insight).
Romania is committed to upgrading all 17 aircraft to the M6XR standard, with support from Lockheed Martin in a $175.4 million FMS deal.
‘The upgrading to the M6XR configuration is scheduled to be executed over 2023-2025, with the delivery by the American partner of the equipment and software package dedicated to the F-16 aircraft procured by Romania,’ the Romanian MoD noted on 26 March.
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