Antena 3 CNN Romania Minister of Defense: F-16 fighters will be brought into the country in 2015

Minister of Defense: F-16 fighters will be brought into the country in 2015

Minister of Defense: F-16 fighters will be brought into the country in 2015
22 Iul 2013   •   17:24
Defense Minister Mircea Dusa, says the  F-16 fighters  purchased from Portugal for the endowment of   the Romanian Air Forces will be brought into the country in 2015. In the meantime, the  pilots will be trained in the US  and the modernization of the infrastructure to be compatible with the fighters is also  scheduled.                        

Mircea Dusa said Sunday, in a press statement delivered at the 71st Air Flotilla in Campia Turzii, Cluj County,  that the Ministry of Defense was going through  two major programs, the first one focused on achieving cargo transport military capability and the second   concerned the combat  aviation, Mediafax reports. 

‘We are currently undertaking two important projects, the first regarding the achievement  of cargo transport military capability and military  and the second focused   on the combat  aviation. As of this year, the modernization program in the field of  combat  aviation begins  and provides for  ’ the endowment of  our fleets with  multirole fighters aircraft. This program is a  complex one that covers not only the acquisition of aircrafts, but also the modernization of  their  mechanics  and avionics, which will be last generation. At the same time, it also targets  the modernization of the  infrastructure in the country to be compatible  with the F-16s and the  purchase of armament and ammunition for air missions and training technical personnel - pilots, maintenance personnel. This capability cannot be achieved from one day to the next, but in time. There will be brought to Romania12 F-16s, in the first phase, while the  multirole aircraft endowment program will continue. It is a serious effort by the Government of Romania and the  budget to provide such military capability. F-16s will be brought  in the country, probably in 2015. Even if we bring them  today, we will  keep them in the airport, pilots must be trained and their training will take place in the U.S.,  on the devices that we buy, " Dusa said.    

The Minister said that, in terms of cargo transport program it is already  running, the Ministry of Defense has five Spartan aircrafts, with which they conducted humanitarian missions.            

"Two more planes are  going to arrive, probably by the end of this year, a Medevac  for rescue missions and one used  to fighting  forest fires," Dusa said. 

Defense Minister attended Sunday at the  71st Air Flotilla  in  Câmpia Turzii the  events organized to celebrate the Air Force Day and a Centenary of  Military Aeronautics and  watched  an air show performed with  eight MIG 21 Lancer fighters,  6 helicopters IAR-330  Socat,  an IAR-99 ªoim aircraft and  planes with  paratroopers from the Romanian Air Club athletes. 

Dusa visited the static exhibition opened inside the  base displaying  airplanes, helicopters, weapons and combat aviation technics. 

The access to the event was free with  several thousand people attending it. 

Romania will purchase 12 old F-16   fighters  from the U.S. and Portugal F-16, for which it will pay 628 million Euros.

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