Romania becomes the 20th country to receive F-35 fighter jets

The Romanian capital, Bucharest, hosted a contract signing ceremony for Romania's purchase of F-35 fighter jets, and the manufacturer Lockheed Martin named the country the 20th "member of the F-35 Global Alliance".

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The Romanian government has decided to purchase 32 advanced fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighters from Lockheed Martin.

According to Lockheed Martin, the new aircraft will increase the security of Romania and its alliance partners. The F-35s will be easily integrated with the existing F-16s, which are currently in service with the Romanian army but will serve as a temporary replacement until the full transition to more modern models in the 2030s.

The decision to purchase was approved after the US State Department approved the deal. The estimated value of the contract is $7.2 billion. The purchase package includes 33 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines, secure communications systems, friend-or-foe identification devices, navigation and cryptographic equipment, as well as various missile weapons, ammunition and electronic warfare components.

In addition to the aircraft themselves, the agreement provides for training, maintenance, infrastructure support, and database updates for electronic systems.

According to experts, such investments in the defence sector will significantly enhance Romania's ability to respond to modern security challenges and ensure stability in the region.

Source: Lockheed Martin