Five F-16 aircraft belonging to the Royal Netherlands Air Force landed on Tuesday, November 7, on Locotenent Aviator Gheorghe Mociornita 86th Air Base, in Fetesti. The aircraft are meant to be used by the European F-16 Training Centre which was established following the cooperation between the Ministry of National Defence, through the Romanian Air Force, and the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Netherlands, through the Royal Air Force, in partnership with Lockheed Martin and with the support of the Kingdom of Denmark.

The centre will serve as an international hub for the F-16 pilots' training and will facilitate the interoperability among allies. It will also contribute to creating common operational standards and to enhancing the North Atlantic Alliance's ability to face the complex challenges posed in the Black Sea area and in Eastern Europe. According to the cooperation agreement, the Romanian Ministry of National Defence provides the 86th Air Base, the training facilities and the host nation support, while the Royal Netherlands Air Force makes available the F-16 aircraft and the Lockheed Martin Company provides the instructors and the maintenance.

EFTC will contribute to the acceleration of the Romanain pilots' training process, given the fact that the Romanain Armed Forces are preparing to take over 32 F-16 aircraft, which have been recently procured from Norway.

Considering the current geopolitical context and Romania's strategic position in the Black Sea area, this centre becomes essential for the cross-border cooperation and the strengthening of security and solidarity within NATO.

By setting up the European F-16 Training Center, Romania commits to providing a high-quality training environment, access to the latest generation know-how and technical resources, available to both Romanian pilots and those from the allied and partner states, Ukraine included.

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The European F-16 Training Center from Locotenent Aviator Gheorghe Mociornita 86th Air Base from Fetesti will be inaugurated through an official ceremony, at a date that will be made available later.

The Press Office