The Romanian defense ministry has agreed to buy F-16AM/BM multirole fighter jets from Norway, which had previously served the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
Under the three-year contract, which is valued at around 388 million euros, Romania agreed to buy a total of 32 F-16AM/BM fighters in the M6.5.2 configuration.
The deal, announced on Nov. 4, also includes spare fighter jet engines and other necessary spare parts as well as training for ground maintenance personnel.
Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram, said the deal reflects “an important contribution in view of reinforcing a NATO ally’s air force” and will benefit both the Norwegian and Romanian defense industries.
Deliveries of the military planes are set to begin by the end of 2023 and continue during 2024.
The former Norwegian Air Force F-16s will replace the Romanian Air Force’s aging MiG-21 fighters.
The Romanian Air Force has recorded numerous incidents involving its MiG-21 fleet. In April 2021, a MiG-21 crashed in an uninhabited area of northwest Romania during a training flight.
The pilot managed to eject safely and survived the incident. In March 2022, a MiG-21 crashed during adverse weather conditions near the Black Sea.
The Romanian Air Force suspended MiG-21 operations after the incident, but later resumed fighter jet flights for a period of one year, until May 2023.
