On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, the Romanian Ministry of Defence announced that the previous day it had reached an agreement with the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands regarding the transfer of the last 18 F-16AM/BM multirole aircraft to the European F-16 Training Centre (EFTC) at Romania’s 86th Air Base Locotenent Aviator Gheorghe Mociorniță, also known as Fetești or Borcea.
Photos: Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Dokument w siedzibie Ministerstwa Obrony w Bukareszcie podpisali generał brygady Ion-Cornel Pleșa, szef Generalnej Dyrekcji Uzbrojenia Ministerstwa Obrony, oraz Linda Ruseler, dyrektor ds. aktywów ruchomych w Ministerstwie Finansów Królestwa Niderlandów, w obecności ministra obrony Rumunii Liviu-Ionuț Moșteanu i JE Willemijn van Haaften, Ambasadora Królestwa Niderlandów w Bukareszcie.
“I expressed my interest in this acquisition back in June, at the end of the NATO Summit in The Hague, when I signed, together with my Dutch counterpart, the Memorandum of Understanding on the extension of the functioning of the European F-16 Training Center in Romania – EFTC,” Minister Moșteanu said. The letter of intent was signed on December 12, 2024.
“By signing this contract, we mark the completion of a significant stage in the center’s activity, which proves Romania’s commitment to providing a high-quality training environment. EFTC has turned our country into a European hub for all states that own or will own F-16s and we are considering expanding the training modules, as the F-35 program advances,” the Minister of National Defence declared (Romania Orders 32 F-35A Lightning II Multirole Aircraft).
The Romanian official also emphasized that the EFTC offers unique capabilities in Europe and provides a comprehensive training program for F-16 pilots, while at the same time creating a framework in which instructors and pilots from several NATO countries train together, according to the same standards, for the collective defense of Allied airspace.
“By continuing the center’s activity, Romania reaffirms its strategic role in the Alliance’s defence architecture, while also confirming its international commitments and actively contributing to strengthening the deterrence and collective defence capabilities. Our country reaffirms its commitment to support Ukraine, offering the Ukrainian pilots the possibility to be trained within the center and thus contributing, in a concrete way, to the common effort to strengthen regional security and to supporting Ukraine’s efforts and sovereign right to defend itself,” the Minister of National Defence concluded.
Ambassador van Haaften has stated that the Netherlands and Romania have a strong relationship and collaborate closely in the field of security and defense. “We are partners in NATO and cooperate for deterrence and security on the Eastern Flank. Both the Netherlands and Romania are dedicated partners to supporting Ukraine. The European F-16 Training Center is one of the examples of the excellent collaboration, which I personally experienced during my visits to the Air Base in Fetești,” the Dutch official stated.
Finally, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Bucharest expressed appreciation that the official transfer of 18 former Dutch F-16 aircraft to Romania marks an important step in the cooperation between the two countries. This enables the continuation of pilot training at the EFTC. “I wish the pilots flying them clear skies and safe landings,” she added.
The signing of this agreement represents a significant milestone in the development of the European F-16 Training Centre, highlighting the Ministry of Defence’s intention to maintain the facility’s operations in the coming years, taking into account the training needs of both Romanian pilots and those from Allied and partner nations, given the rather limited international training capacity.
The total purchase price of the 18 F-16 aircraft, according to the agreement, amounts to a symbolic 1 EUR (net). In addition, a VAT payment of 21 million EUR has been made, calculated on the declared value of the aircraft and the associated logistics support package, which is set at 100 million EUR.
The F-16 aircraft are already deployed at Fetești and have become the property of the Romanian state. They are intended specifically for pilot training within the framework of the European F-16 Training Centre, with the Romanian side responsible for providing a number of training slots for pilots from NATO and partner countries.
Since November 20, 2024, the new EFTC at the 86th Air Base in Fetești has hosted 18 F-16AM/BM MLU Block 10/15 aircraft, officially withdrawn from the Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht) as of September 25, 2024. The transfer of the first five aircraft began on November 7, 2023, and the remaining thirteen were delivered in batches during 2024. Last year, the first training courses were completed by Romanian and Ukrainian pilots. Logistical support is provided by the aircraft’s manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, while flight instruction is handled by Draken International. The remaining 24 former Dutch F-16s have been delivered to war-torn Ukraine as part of military assistance.
F-16 fighters from the European F-16 Training Center in Fetești became the property of Romania🇷🇴https://t.co/Ne3jLNK6Fn pic.twitter.com/wtP235jB6m
— MApN (@MApNRomania) November 4, 2025
De overdracht is officieel: 18 voormalige Nederlandse F-16’s zijn vandaag formeel overgedragen aan Roemenië. De toestellen worden ingezet voor de training van Roemeense en Oekraïense vliegers bij het F-16-trainingscentrum in Roemenië.
Lees meer via: https://t.co/BSPAAlCuIC pic.twitter.com/xUleG9fFnk
— Ministerie van Defensie (@Defensie) November 3, 2025
