Netherlands Completes Delivery of F-16 Fighter Jets to European Training Center

The Netherlands delivered the final two of 18 F-16 fighter jets to the European F-16 training center at Fetesti airbase in Romania on November 20.

The aircraft will support pilot training for both Romanian and Ukrainian air forces.

The training center was established last year with Dutch involvement, and the Netherlands committed 18 F-16s for the program. Five jets were initially delivered in November 2023, with the remaining aircraft now in place.

The Netherlands, alongside Denmark and the United States, plays a key role in training Ukrainian pilots and providing military support through an international coalition led by Major General Arnoud Stallmann. The Netherlands is also set to deliver 24 F-16s directly to Ukraine.

Due to operational considerations, further details on these deliveries are not being disclosed.

Earlier this fall, the Netherlands officially retired its last F-16 fighter jets from active service. To mark the occasion, the Ministry of Defense released a video highlighting the aircraft’s farewell ceremony.

Ukraine received its first F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands at the end of July. At the time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the current number of F-16s in Ukraine was insufficient, though the country expects to receive additional jets from international partners.