Romania’s Ministry of Defence (MApN) has asked the lawmakers to endorse a deal by which the country will pay EUR 354 mln for purchasing from Norway 32 F-16 fighters, G4media.ro reported. It will upgrade them at Romanian company Aerostar Bacau, with equipment and logistics services from the US, for another EUR 100 mln.

The fighters are 40-year old but, according to the minister of defence Vasile Dincu, “can be used for at least another ten years”.

The configuration of Norwegian F-16 aircraft is M6.5.2, which the MApN claims are superior to that of the F-16 fleet Romania previously purchased from Portugal.

Romania already has a squadron of 17 F-16 aircraft, bought in two instalments, from Portugal. They were also upgraded before entering service. The first tranche, of twelve aircraft, cost Romania EUR 628 mln, including staff training.

andrei@romania-insider.com

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