Radio România Internațional

Tag: training center

  • Pilots trained in Fetești

    Pilots trained in Fetești

    A member of
    the so-called Warsaw Pact whereby the USSR gathered its satellites from Central
    and Eastern Europe to create a collective defense system, Romania gained its independence
    and eventually joined NATO. Two decades on, the logistics transition is still
    underway. The Soviet-era equipment of the Romanian army is gradually replaced
    with state-of-the-art modern technology, produced in allied countries with
    ground-breaking technological advancements. At the 86 military base in Fetești,
    preparations are underway to train Romanian pilots who will transition from the
    Soviet-made MiG-21 jets to the better-performing American F-16 fighter jets.
    The training center already has five F-16s on standby, while the Netherlands
    will deliver another 18 jets to Romania by the end of the year. At present,
    Romania’s air fleet consists of 17 F-16 jets purchased from Portugal, while
    Romania has signed a contract with Norway for the delivery of another 32 jets.
    The European Training Center was set up based on a cooperation agreement
    between NATO allies, according to which the Romanian Defense Ministry provides
    the air base and training facilities, the Dutch side provides the F-16 jets,
    while the famous American company Lockheed Martin, the aircraft manufacturer,
    will provide the trainers and maintenance. Attending the inauguration ceremony
    were the Dutch Defense Minister, Kajsa Ollongren and Western diplomats. Romania’s
    defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr:


    Given we’re
    about to receive 32 new aircraft, to us it is extremely important to train
    Romanian pilots. F-16 jets will be operational in Europe for at least another
    20 years. They are important. So, we want our pilots to be well-trained.


    The Fetești
    center will have trainers from every NATO state, and participants will include
    not just pilots from NATO, but also partner states, including neighboring
    Ukraine. In a post on X, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, thanked his
    counterpart from Romania, Klaus Iohannis, and the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark
    Rutte, for implementing the agreements on delivering highly-performing fighter
    jets to Ukraine and training Ukrainian pilots to operate these aircraft. At
    present, pilots from Ukraine are being trained in the United States and Denmark.
    The training of Ukrainian pilots in Fetești will take nearly six months,
    experts say. (VP)

  • F16 training center in Romania

    F16 training center in Romania

    The Romanian Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, signed,
    on Tuesday, the Letter of Intent between the Ministry of National Defense, the
    Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Lockheed Martin
    Company regarding the F16 Training Center in Romania. The event took place on
    the sidelines of the Informal Meeting of the EU Defense Ministers, held in Toledo,
    Spain. The document concerns the establishment of the F16 Training Center in
    Romania, an initiative designed to support the development of the skills of
    Romanian pilots in operating such aircraft by carrying out a varied range of
    strategic missions.






    Angel Tîlvăr: This initiative will support the
    development of Romanian pilots’ skills. We will be able to provide a
    high-quality training environment with access to technical resources and
    know-how not only for us, but also for partners, including Ukraine, if
    necessary. The level of training will increase strongly, all the more since we
    are also waiting for more F16 planes to arrive. I am optimistic about the pace
    in which this center will be established.








    In order to implement this project, the Royal Netherlands Air
    Force will contribute by deploying some F16 aircraft to an air base in Romania,
    thus facilitating the effective training of Romanian pilots. Also, Lockheed
    Martin Company will provide technical support of the highest level, with flight
    instructors and technical-engineering personnel. Through this solid
    cooperation, a complex training will be ensured, in accordance with
    international standards, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has stressed.




    The F16 Training Center at the 86th Air Base will become
    a relevant regional center, a fact already consolidated by the signing of the
    Joint Declaration at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, in July 2023. Romania thus
    joins other allied nations, such as Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Luxembourg,
    Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom of
    Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in supporting the training of Ukrainian
    pilots for the future use of F16 aircraft.






    Bucharest hopes that the future F16 Training Center in
    Romania will demonstrate its strategic importance, which aims to meet the
    complex security requirements of Romania, allies and partners in the region.
    This joint effort strengthens Romania’s position as a regional leader in the
    training of F16 pilots, contributing to alliance cohesion, demonstrating unity
    and strengthening Euro-Atlantic defense, Minister Angel Tîlvăr said. The center
    will be partly financed by Romania. On the other hand, the Romanian minister is
    sure that, given the fact that there are European initiatives aimed at common
    training and common defense, Bucharest will also benefit from funds intended
    for such centers from the European partners. (MI)