Netherlands, Romania to launch F-16 training center for Ukrainian personnel
Illustrative photo: The Netherlands and Romania will create a training center for Ukrainian F-16 specialists (Getty Images)
The Netherlands has agreed with Romania to establish a training center for Ukrainian F-16 maintenance personnel, according to the Dutch Ministry of Defense.
According to the ministry, the European F-16 Training Center (EFTC) for pilot instruction is already located in Romania.
The agreement to create the new training facility for technical specialists was signed today, May 8, during a visit by Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans to his Romanian counterpart Angel Tîlvăr.
The new center will be located at the Fetești Air Base, which also hosts the EFTC.
"Ukraine is fully deploying F-16s for air defense. We see every day how necessary this is. That requires not only pilots but also well-trained technical personnel. Together with Romania, we are now taking the next important step," Brekelmans stated.
F-16s for Ukraine
Ukraine had long urged its Western allies to provide F-16 fighter jets, stressing their importance for defending the skies and strengthening national defense. After months of hesitation and discussions, the United States and its partners agreed to supply the aircraft and begin training Ukrainian pilots.
In 2023, an aviation coalition was formed. As President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later explained, Ukraine needs at least 128 F-16 jets.
The first jets arrived in 2024. In March, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had received a new batch of fighter jets.
