US Ambassador to Bucharest Hans Klemm, said Friday at the 71st Air Base Campia Turzii, that Romania's decision to purchase the F-16s is a wise one and that Romania might have one of the best air forces in the region, Agerpres reports.
“Today's event (American -Romanian Dacian Viper year 2015 exercise) shows the impact of the state partnership with long-term effects over the future program for Romania’s endowment with F-16 and of national security priorities. (...) Very soon we will have another place that we call 'home', after Romania will receive the first shipment of F-16s in September 2016. I anticipate and hope that Romania's leaders know that, at one time, Romania will have three or four different squadrons of F-16 so as to be among the best air forces in the region. The decision to purchase the F-16s was a wise one for Romania, for several reasons, the main one being that this is the multi-role aircraft that the American military fly and know best, 'said Hans Klemm.
The US Ambassador was present Friday at VIPER DACIAN year 2015 exercise together with Defense Minister, Mircea Dusa, and NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow.
The Romanian-American DACIAN VIPER 2015 exercise runs from 13 to 30 October at the 71st Air Base Campia Turzii. Romanian Air Forces participating in the exercise with about 250 military pilots and technical personnel, six MiG-21 Lancer and three IAR-330 (SOCAT and MEDEVAC) and the Air National Guard of the State of Alabama holds about 200 soldiers, eight F-16 aircrafts and the related maintenance equipment.
According to organizers, the exercise aims to increase interoperability, exchange experience and improve staff training by running joint Romanian and US flights in compliance with NATO standards.