A training center for technical personnel servicing F-16 fighter jets will be established in Romania. The Netherlands will facilitate this.
This was reported by the Dutch Ministry of Defense.
The Netherlands and Romania signed a declaration of intent regarding this project during a visit by Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans to his Romanian counterpart, Angel Tilver.
The training center will be created at Feteşti Air Base, where the European Training Center for F-16 pilots is already located (it trains both Romanian and Ukrainian pilots).
At the end of 2024, the Netherlands reported that it would transfer 18 of its F-16 aircraft to Romania. They are currently at Feteşti Air Base.
"Ukrainians actively use F-16s to protect their skies. Every day we see how important this is. This requires not only qualified pilots, but also well-trained technical personnel," Brekelmans emphasized.
F-16 for Ukraine
In 2023, Ukraine and its allies created an aviation coalition aimed at transferring F-16 combat aircraft to Ukraine. The first batch of F-16s to Ukraine was delivered by the Netherlands, as announced in October 2024. The second batch of aircraft arrived in Ukraine in December 2024, sent by Denmark.
In total, four allied states agreed to transfer F-16s to Kyiv: the Netherlands (24 aircraft), Denmark (19 aircraft), Belgium (30 aircraft by 2028), and Norway (6 aircraft).
On May 2, 2025, the US State Department approved an F-16 training and support package for Ukraine worth $310.5 million.
- Ukrainian pilots will also train in the Czech Republic on F-16 and L-39 fighter jets.
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