Romania and Netherlands to establish training centre for Ukrainian F-16 technicians

Romania and the Netherlands will establish a joint centre to train Ukrainian technical personnel for the F-16 fighter jets.

Source: Dutch Ministry of Defence, as reported by European Pravda

Details: On 7 May, the two countries signed a memorandum of intent to create the joint centre during a visit by Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans to his Romanian counterpart Angel Tîlvăr.

The training centre will be based at the Fetești Air Base, which currently hosts the European F-16 Training Centre (EFTC).

The EFTC trains both Romanian and Ukrainian pilots. The Ministry of Defence also recalled that at the end of last year, a decision was announced to officially transfer 18 Dutch F-16s – currently stationed at the EFTC – to Romania.

"Ukrainians are making full use of the F-16s for air defence. We see every day how necessary this is. We need not only pilots but also well-trained maintenance personnel. Together with Romania, we are taking another important step in this direction," said Brekelmans.

Background:

• On 3 May, the US State Department approved a potential US$310.5 million package for Ukraine to purchase that includes F-16 maintenance and training services.
• On 4 May, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine and Czechia are working on the establishment of a Ukrainian-Czech F-16 training school. 

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