On November 3, the governments of the Netherlands and Romania signed an agreement transferring ownership of 18 Dutch F-16s already flying from the 86th Air Base Borcea in Fetești to Romanian authorities, underlining the country’s growing leadership in allied training. “By signing this agreement, we mark a major moment in the center’s development and reaffirm Romania’s commitment to providing a high-quality training environment,” said Minister of National Defence Liviu-Ionuț Moșteanu, adding, “The EFTC has turned our country into a European hub for all nations that fly the F-16.”
24/7, day and night, NATO stands ready to protect our skies ✈️
From pilots on alert to the crew on the ground, Air Policing is a team effort that guards our skies around the clock ⏰ pic.twitter.com/Mxdw4cbCCf
— NATO (@NATO) October 28, 2025
Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans described the EFTC as “a textbook example of successful cooperation,” noting that “together with Romania and Lockheed Martin, we are working in a unique way to train Romanian and Ukrainian pilots.” He added that “our former F-16s have been given a valuable new purpose at the EFTC” and that “the Ukrainian pilots trained here are already making a significant contribution to defending their country against Russian air attacks.”
Lockheed Martin and its industry partners continue to work alongside Romanian and Dutch teams to prepare aircraft, brief pilots and analyse each mission to ensure operational readiness. NATO’s latest video highlights Romanian and allied F-16s flying shoulder to shoulder in defence of allied airspace, demonstrating the enduring impact of shared training and cooperation.
Source: Lockheed Martin.
