The Netherlands has agreed with Romania to create a training center for Ukrainian F-16 maintenance personnel.
Points of attention
- Collaboration between the Netherlands and Romania to create a training center in Romania for Ukrainian F-16 technical personnel is a significant development.
- The agreement aims at training specialists to ensure the full functioning of Ukrainian F-16 fighters and strengthen Ukraine's air defense capabilities.
- The European F-16 Pilot Training Center in Romania will play a crucial role in training Ukrainian technical personnel at the newly established training center.
Ukrainian F-16 technical personnel will train in Romania
The European F-16 Pilot Training Center (EFTC) is already located in Romania.
The agreement to establish a training center for specialists was signed today, May 8, during a visit by the Head of the Dutch Ministry of Defense, Ruben Brekelmans, to his colleague, Angela Tilvara.
The future training center will be located at Feteşti Air Base, where EFTC is also located.
Ukrainians are fully deploying F-16s for air defense. We see every day how necessary this is. This requires not only pilots, but also well-trained technical personnel. Together with Romania, we are now taking the next important step towards this.
Ruben Breckelmans
Minister of Defense of the Netherlands
Ukraine has long asked its Western allies for F-16 fighter jets, stressing their importance for protecting the skies and strengthening defense capabilities. After hesitation and discussions, the United States and partners agreed to transfer the aircraft and begin training Ukrainian pilots.
An aviation coalition was created in 2023. As President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later explained, Ukraine needs at least 128 F-16 fighters.
