Romanian Training Facility Added to the Falcon’s Nests

The F-16 Fighting Falcon continues to be a popular fighter and a perennial geopolitical topic for anyone looking for a capable, modern, affordable fighter.

With the fighter’s growing European footprint, the number of support and training facilities must also grow, with the latest on the roster added in Romania. The country is a buyer of F-16s, and will embark on their training Center in cooperation with the Netherlands, a longtime pillar of the European Falconer scene. 

From the start, the facility will provide training for Romanian F-16 operations, though later expansions to that purview are definitely in the cards, if space allows. Personnel currently enjoy time with Lockheed Martin sims abroad, and their experience alongside similarly positioned Dutch students likely got the noggins jogging about their very own facilities closer to home. The Training Center will sport an “affordable, efficient sequence of ground-based and flight training missions” according to Lockheed press. 

“The F-16 continues to play a crucial role in 21st Century Security missions for the United States, Europe, NATO and allies around the world,” said OJ Sanchez, vice president and general manager, Integrated Fighter Group. “Lockheed Martin is proud to partner with the Netherlands and Romania on this European F-16 Training Center in Romania, which will enhance mission readiness through a comprehensive F-16 training solution for Romanian pilots.”

“Once details are finalized, we are confident the training center will ultimately benefit Romania and other regional F-16 operators, including potentially Ukraine,” said Sanchez.

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com