Romania sees initial contract to buy F-35 fighter jets, defence ministry says

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Romania expects to sign a government-to-government agreement with the United States to purchase latest-generation F-35 fighter jets as early as this fall, the defence ministry said on Tuesday (16 July).

The European Union and NATO member said in September it planned to buy 32 F-35s from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin for $6.5 billion.

The outline deal includes logistics and training services, flight simulators and ammunition, along with the jets.

Defence Minister Angel Tilvar has said the first planes would not be delivered before 2030.

In the meantime, Romania has bought 32 second-hand F-16 fighter jets from Norway, to add to 17 acquired from Portugal since 2016.

Romania, a NATO member since 2004, shares a 650-km border with Ukraine and has had Russian drone fragments stray into its territory repeatedly as Moscow attacks Ukrainian ports just across the Danube River border.

In June, Romania said it would donate a Patriot system to Ukraine, part of a delivery of five such systems and other strategic air defence units pledged by NATO states to Kyiv as it battles Russia’s 28-month-old invasion.

Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 Lightning II is a fifth generation US fighter jet developed with assistance from BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman. It first flew in 2016 and is rapidly being incorporated into fleets worldwide. What sets the F-35 Lightning II apart is its unparalleled features, such as stealth, manoeuvrability, and the ability to cruise at supersonic speeds without afterburners. Additionally, it is highly versatile in its weapons load and capable of carrying up to 18,000 pounds of munitions.

The NATO countries in Europe possessing F-16 fighter jets are Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, UK, Italy, Denmark. Lockheed Martin has been producing around 150 units annually.

(With additional reporting by Georgi Gotev)