Signed in Bucharest on November 3, 2025, the intergovernmental agreement finalizes ownership of aircraft already based in Romania since November 2023. The jets will remain dedicated to the European F-16 Training Center (EFTC) in Fetești, expanding NATO’s collective pilot training capacity at minimal cost.

Eighteen Dutch F-16s for €1

The Romanian Ministry of National Defense signed the deal with the Government of the Netherlands, formalizing the transfer of 18 F-16 Fighting Falcons and associated support equipment for a token payment of one euro.

Officials emphasized the donation’s symbolic nature, highlighting it as a gesture of “trust and partnership.”

Enhancing NATO’s Eastern Training Network

The jets, previously operated by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), have been stationed at the 86th Air Base in Fetești since 2023 under a joint initiative between Romania, the Netherlands, and Lockheed Martin.

The EFTC, launched in 2023, now trains pilots from NATO members and partner countries—including Ukraine, whose aviators began certification earlier in 2025 using Dutch aircraft.

From Legacy Fleet to Regional Hub

Between 1979 and 1992, the Netherlands received 213 F-16s, later retired upon transition to the F-35A Lightning II in 2024.

Their redeployment for training marks a broader NATO repurposing strategy, with Belgium, Denmark, and Norway also reallocating surplus jets to collective programs.

Romanian Defense Minister Ionuț Moșteanu first announced the initiative during the June 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague.

Strengthening Romania’s Air Fleet

With this transfer, Romania’s F-16 inventory expands toward 78 aircraft once all planned deliveries conclude: 17 from Portugal, 32 from the Netherlands, and 29 from Norway.

Of these, 67 are expected to be operational by the end of 2025, reinforcing NATO’s southeastern flank along the Ukrainian border.

Romanian officials underlined the jets’ exclusive non-combat training role, supporting allied readiness rather than national strike capability.