First 5 F-16s from Netherlands arrive in Romania to conduct NATO, Ukraine pilot training

Five F-16 fighters of the Netherlands Air Force were transferred to Romania today to train Ukrainian and NATO pilots, the Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Kajsa Ollongren reported on X (Twitter).

"Five Dutch F-16s are departing for Fetesti Air Base in Romania today. The F-16 trainign center to train pilots from both NATO countries and Ukraine will open soon," she wrote.

On August 30, 2023, the defense ministers of the Netherlands and Romania signed an agreement on the creation of a training center for training Ukrainian pilots on the F-16.

On October 12, Ollongren reported that the Netherlands would send up to 18 F-16 fighter jets to the training center for Ukrainian pilots in Romania "in a few weeks".

On October 30, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that the first F-16s would go to Romania "in no more than two weeks."

On August 20, 2023, Denmark announced that it would hand over 19 aircraft to Ukraine, the Netherlands - an unknown number (the country has 42 aircraft; how many of them will be given to the Armed Forces is not stated).

Ukraine should use the F-16 only on its territory - not on the territory of Russia. Such are the conditions of the West. The Armed Forces of Ukraine accept these conditions.