Netherlands Transfers 18 F-16s to Romania

The Netherlands has formally transferred 18 F-16 fighter jets to Romania to strengthen regional air training and defense cooperation.

The handover took place on November 3 in Bucharest, where Brigadier General Ion Cornel Plesa, head of Romania’s General Directorate for Armaments, and Linda Ruseler, Director of the Movable Property Domains at the Dutch Ministry of Finance, signed the transfer documents.

Romania’s Defence Ministry said the aircraft will be used to train both Romanian and Ukrainian F-16 pilots, supporting efforts to boost pilot readiness amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. The transfer is part of a wider European initiative led by the Netherlands to assist Ukraine’s air force transition to F-16 operations through shared aircraft and training support.