European F-16 training center opened in Romania, where Ukrainian pilots will be trained

Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr and his counterpart from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Kajsa Ollongren, inaugurated on Monday, November 13, the European F-16 Training Center (EFTC) in Romania, which will operate at Fetești Air Base 86, and where pilots and technicians of the Ukrainian Air Force will be trained in the operation of the American fighter.

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The inauguration ceremony was attended by the ambassadors of Denmark, the Netherlands, the United States and Ukraine, as well as representatives of the American company Lockheed Martin, and senior officers of the Romanian Armed Forces.

«The European F-16 Training Center in Romania will play a vital role in training our pilots for the operation of the aircraft that will soon join the Air Force, as well as for pilots of allied and partner air forces, including Ukraine,» Angel Tîlvăr said during the ceremony.

This project, the first at the European level, is an important milestone both for the Romanian-Dutch cooperation and for the practical reflection of the allied solidarity. At the same time, it will accelerate the training of Romanian pilots for the operation of the F-16 aircraft purchased by Romania from Norway and soon to join the Romanian Air Force.

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At the same time, Minister Tîlvăr stressed that the 86th Air Base Center aims to create an adequate response not only to the current and future needs of the Romanian Air Force, but also to support allies and partners such as Ukraine.

«We signed, on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Romania’s participation in the establishment of the International F-16 Coalition, along with a significant number of states. This demonstrated what we can achieve together in support of Ukraine, while providing a platform to calibrate our efforts with those of Allies and regional partners. We are now looking at the most effective ways to integrate Ukrainian pilot training into the program as soon as possible,» said Minister Tbilvar during the inauguration ceremony.

The EFTC now has its first five F-16 fighters delivered by the Royal Netherlands Air Force a week ago, but that number should rise to between 12 and 18 units in the coming months.