Romania boosts its defence with new wave of F‑16 fighter jets
Romania is currently modernizing its army and will receive additional F-16 fighter jets later this month. These aircraft play a significant role in the country's move away from Soviet-era weaponry, including MiG-21 fighters. Here's a reminder of where Romania sources its F-16s from and their capabilities.
The F-16 fighters have been sparking significant interest for months because they are linked to Ukrainian hopes of winning the war against Russia. The West has promised dozens of units, but the process of deploying them to the front has yet to begin. In terms of F-16 equipment, Romania is in a much better position.
Romania arms itself with additional F-16s
For several years, the air force of this country on the Black Sea has been operating 17 aircraft of this type, which were purchased from Portugal. However, this number is too small to meet all needs, so Romania signed a contract worth 388 million euros with Norway to expand its army with an additional 32 F-16s.
The first batch was received at the end of 2023. According to information from the Defenseromania portal, additional ex-Norwegian F-16s will arrive in Romania any day now, still in June this year. They are expected to land in Câmpia Turzii, where the headquarters of the Romanian Air Force's 48th Fighter Squadron is located.
The plans assume that by 2025, all 32 aircraft acquired from Norway will have been delivered to Romania. They will form two squadrons and will be used until more modern F-35 fighters arrive in the country.
Capabilities of the F-16 fighter jets
The F-16 is the most popular combat aircraft in the world. The American fighter is still widely used in NATO countries, with over 4,500 units produced. It is approximately 50 feet long and can reach Mach 2, or over 1,300 mph.
Its arsenal includes the standard six-barrel 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon. Additionally, it can carry suspended armament, including air-to-air missiles AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM, anti-ship missiles AGM-84D Harpoon, and bombs such as CBU-87, CBU-89, GBU-10, GBU-12, Paveway or JDAM. The maximum altitude at which the F-16 can operate is approximately 50,000 feet.
