The long-held aspiration of the Romanian Air Force (RoAF) to operate the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been cleared, with the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) reporting on 13 September 2024 that the US State Department has cleared Romania to purchase up to 32 F-35As.
The proposed Foreign Military Sale (FMS), which is worth an estimated USD 7.2 billion (EUR 6.48 billion), has been passed to the US Congress for final approval.
As well as the 32 F-35As, the package for Romania includes 33 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines (32 installed and one spare), a number of non-Major Defense Equipment items, spare and repair parts, transportation and ferrying costs, plus various aspects of programme, facilities construction, logistics, technical and training support.
“The proposed sale will improve Romania’s capability to meet current and future threats by further equipping it to conduct self-defense and regional security missions while enhancing interoperability with the United States and other NATO members,” the DSCA stated.
Following the retirement of its MiG-21 LanceR fleet on 15 May 2023, the RoAF has operated 17 refurbished ex-Portuguese F-16AM/BMs that were acquired between October 2016 and March 2021. Then, in November 2022, Romania ordered 32 ex-Norwegian F-16AM/BMs, the first of which were delivered in November 2023.
Even before the RoAF acquired its F-16s, however, its long-term plan was to ultimately operate the F-35. Even before Romania officially joined NATO in March 2004, the Romanian military had adopted a strategic outlook that strongly favoured close co-operation with the United States. At its Deveselu Military Base, for example, Romania hosts a US Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defence system.
Romanian Defence Minister Angel Tîlvăr stated in August 2023, when the Romanian Ministry of National Defence (MApN) submitted its request to acquire F-35s to the Romanian parliament, that the country could expect to receive its first F-35s in 2032 as long as the FMS process saw the acquisition approved in 2024.
Beyond the US Air Force, US Marine Corps and US Navy, 19 countries now operate or have ordered the F-35.
