Published time: 28 Sep, 2016 15:43
The first six of 12 F-16
fighter planes bought by the Romanian Air Force from the Portuguese government
were handed over on Wednesday in a ceremony headed by the defense ministers of
both nations.
Romania’s military air
fleet had been comprised of fewer than 50 refurbished MiG 21 Soviet fighter
jets and other outdated fighting planes. The purchase of the used Portuguese
aircraft is part of Romania’s push for military modernization. Offers for a
series of new planes, including JAS-39 Gripens and Eurofighter Typhoons, were
reportedly made, but the deals were not finalized.
“The
first six F-16 Fighting Falcons that bear the tricolor roundel of the Romanian
Air Force will be officially taken over from Portugal tomorrow,” Romanian National Defense Minister Mihnea
Motoc wrote on Facebook.
“Although
I hesitate to use big words when I speak of acquisitions, be them major, I must
say that tomorrow will be a truly historical day for Romania and its army.”
The Portuguese-Romanian
deal was originally closed in 2013 for nearly €200 million (US$225 million),
including the cost of the aircraft and training and logistical support. The 12
machines agreed upon were nine single-seater and three dual-seater F-16 jets,
made by the US company General Dynamics, now part of defense giant Lockheed
Martin.
Romania is believed to
have spent €32 million alone on an airfield for the new planes.
Portuguese Air Force
staff have been training an estimated 84 Romanian Air Force pilots, technicians
and mechanics on how to use the planes. A Portuguese team will also be
supporting the Romanian Air Force on the ground for the next two years.
Romanian F16's training over Portugal
Lockheed
Martin’s director Randall Howard told Romanian
newspaper Ziarul Financiar in May that the country had the
capacity to buy an extra 24 or 36 F-16 planes.
"Lockheed
Martin is ready to support Romanian military developments, including the
possible acquisition of further F-16 aircrafts and their upgrade to the latest
model called F-16V" said Randall Howard.
Present at Wednesday’s
official handover ceremonies were Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, as
well as Motoc and his Portuguese counterpart, Azeredo Lopes.
The six remaining planes
will be delivered in two phases – three before the year’s end and the remaining
three, which are still undergoing upgrades, in September 2017.
Lisbon
is now considering Romania’s offer to purchase a further 12 planes from the
Portuguese air fleet. “Romania has made a request for the supply of
another 12 planes, of which the project’s liability is now being analyzed and
would always have to draw in the three parties – Portugal, USA and Romania,” the
Portuguese Defense Ministry said.
Original
post: rt
FAR F-16AM still carrying the Portuguese serial #15124 is
parked with opened canopy during an open day at Monte Real AB on September
18th, 2016. [FAR photo] –Image @f-16net
FAR F-16BM still carrying the Portuguese serial #15137 is
parked on a sunny tarmac. [FAP photo] - Image @f-16net
Current inventory Romanian
Air Force
Aircraft
|
Origin
|
Type
|
No. used
|
Notes
|
AAI RQ-7 Shadow 600
|
United States
|
Surveillance UAV
|
6[22]
|
|
Italy
|
Transport aircraft
|
7[23]
|
||
Soviet Union
|
Transport aircraft
|
2[24]
|
||
Soviet Union
|
Surveillance
aircraft
|
2[24]
|
||
United States
|
Transport aircraft
|
3
|
Shared within NATO Heavy Airlift Wing.[25][note 1]
|
|
United States
|
Multirole fighter
aircraft
|
6
|
12 ex-Portuguese F-16MLU's
ordered[24]
|
|
United States
|
Transport aircraft
|
4[24]
|
||
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21LanceR
|
Soviet Union
|
Fighter aircraft
|
36[26]
|
|
Romania
|
Trainer / light
attack helicopter
|
6[1]
|
License-built SA 316B Alouette III
|
|
Romania
|
Transport / utility
helicopter
|
35[24]
|
License-built SA 330 Puma
|
|
Romania
|
Attack helicopter
|
22[24]
|
Modernized version
with Elbit Systems
|
|
Romania
|
Trainer / light
attack aircraft
|
19[24]
|
||
Romania
|
Trainer aircraft
|
12[1]
|
Source @wikiwand
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