Romania is set to enhance its defense capabilities with the acquisition of state-of-the-art F-35 fighter jets from the United States.
Defense Minister Angel Tilvar announced that Romania aims to sign an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. this fall for the purchase of these advanced aircraft.
As a member of both the European Union and NATO, Romania has been keen to upgrade its military hardware. In September, Romania declared its intention to procure 32 F-35 jets from Lockheed Martin for an estimated $6.5 billion. The deal includes not only the aircraft but also logistics and training services, flight simulators, and ammunition.
The first planes would not be delivered before 2030. Until then, Romania has bolstered its air force with 32 second-hand F-16 fighter jets from Norway, supplementing the 17 acquired from Portugal since 2016.
Romania, a NATO member since 2004, shares a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine. The nation has experienced several incidents of Russian Shahed-type drones crashing within its territory amid ongoing attacks on Ukrainian ports along the Danube River.
In June, Romania announced its decision to donate a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. This contribution is part of a broader commitment by NATO states to provide Kyiv with five such systems and other strategic air defense units as Ukraine continues to fend off Russia’s invasion, which has now persisted for 28 months.