Dutch F-16 jets bound for Romania to train Ukrainian pilots

The Netherlands will send F-16 fighter jets to Romania within a few weeks.

NL Times reported on this.

“That’s going very well. We hope to transfer 12 to 18 aircraft to Romania within a few weeks, which means the center can start operating,” said Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren.

According to Ollongren, the Netherlands is still working on providing additional assistance to Ukraine’s air defense.

Ollongren didn’t specify when the Netherlands would transfer the first fighter jets to Ukraine. The country will “in principle” eventually get 24 that it can deploy in the fight against Russia.

In August, Militarnyi reported on the transfer of F-16 fighter jets by the Netherlands. Later, it was reported that the country would provide more fighter jets to Ukraine.

Dutch military support for Ukraine now amounts to 2.1 billion euros, according to the latest update on the aid that Minister Ollongren sent to parliament.

In recent weeks, the Netherlands has arranged for fifteen T72 tanks to go to Ukraine. Drones, trucks, ammunition, and demining equipment have also been sent.

In July, it was reported that Romania would set up a regional training center for F-16 pilots. Ukrainian pilots would also be able to train there.

Thus, Romania will join the “aviation coalition” that supports the training of Ukrainian pilots and personnel, as well as the transfer of modern multirole fighters as part of military assistance.

The center will be created jointly with other allies and Lockheed Martin, which is the manufacturer of these fighter jets. It will meet the training requirements of NATO.

As previously reported, Ukrainian pilots will be part of the “first wave” of F-16 training at new Romanian training centers.

The U.S. Department of Defense also plans to begin training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s in the United States.