Romania has formally taken ownership of 18 F-16 Fighting Falcons from the Netherlands, completing the transfer of aircraft already operating at the European F-16 Training Center (EFTC) in Fetești.
The intergovernmental agreement was signed in Bucharest on November 3, 2025, by Brigadier General Ion-Cornel Pleșa of the Romanian Ministry of Defense and Linda Ruseler of the Dutch Ministry of Finance, in the presence of Romanian Defense Minister Liviu-Ionuț Moșteanu and Dutch Ambassador Willemijn van Haaften.
Moșteanu said the contract marks “the completion of a significant stage” in the development of the EFTC, adding that the center has become “a European hub for all states that operate or plan to operate the F-16.”
Supporting Ukraine’s pilot training
The Fetești center, established in 2023 by Romania, the Netherlands, and Lockheed Martin, provides F-16 conversion and tactical training for Romanian, NATO, and Ukrainian pilots. The first five former Royal Netherlands Air Force jets arrived at the base in late 2023, marking the launch of the program.
Dutch Defense Minister Jan Kees Brekelmans called the EFTC “a textbook example of successful collaboration,” highlighting the joint effort to train both Romanian and Ukrainian pilots.
The 18 aircraft were transferred for a symbolic price of €1, under an agreement first announced during the NATO Summit in The Hague in June 2025. Their addition will bring Romania’s total F-16 fleet to 67 aircraft, including jets previously acquired from Portugal and the Netherlands, as well as additional aircraft expected from Norway.
Dutch Ambassador Willemijn van Haaften stated that the transfer “marks an important step in the cooperation between the two countries,” allowing for the continuation of pilot training at the EFTC and reinforcing deterrence along NATO’s eastern flank.
The handover follows the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s transition to the F-35A Lightning II. Romania, which also plans to acquire 32 F-35As, has indicated it may expand its training programs as more NATO partners shift to fifth-generation fighters.
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