Romania approves $7.2bn deal for 32 F‑35 jets in defence upgrade
The US Department of State has approved the potential sale of 32 F-35A aircraft to Romania for up to $7.2 billion. We present the details of Romania's substantial purchase and the performance of these aircraft.
The US Department of State has approved the sale to Romania of 32 F-35A aircraft for up to $7.2 billion under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) procedure. The amounts quoted under FMS are usually significantly higher than the value of the signed contracts.
In addition to the aircraft, Romania will acquire 33 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment, AN/PYQ-10 cryptographic devices, a weapons package, and logistical support. This will include spare parts, aircraft maintenance equipment, and Romanian Air Force personnel training. Romania currently operates the former Norwegian F-16 AM/BM aircraft, which has allowed it to retire the MiG-21 LanceR from service.
F-35A - the stealthy successor to the F-16
The F-35A Lightning II is a multi-role aircraft characterised by its stealth technology design. Notably, it was initially designed as a strike aircraft to complement the air superiority fighter F-22 Raptor but eventually evolved into a multirole machine.
Besides its stealth capability, the F-35A's characteristic feature is its very advanced sensor package. Apart from the AN/APG-81 or AN/APG-85 radar with AESA array, it includes the AN/AAQ-37 EODAS system, consisting of six infrared sensors providing 360-degree detection of various objects. These allow, for example, the firing of missiles at a target behind the aircraft.
This helps mitigate certain drawbacks of this design, such as the limited capacity to carry weapons and low flight speed. First, the aircraft's internal bays can hold up to six AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air guided missiles or, for example, two B61-12 or JDAM-ER bombs.
The second issue is the maximum flight speed of Mach 1.6 and the problem of sustaining supersonic speed without using an afterburner, known as supercruise. Such a speed does not increase the range of fired missiles, unlike aircraft capable of reaching Mach 2.25.
