Romania has officially announced the decommissioning of obsolete MiG-21 fighters. Yesterday, January 20, the portal scramble.nl He announced that by 2024 the remaining Migs will be replaced by American F-16s.
By 2024, the Romanian Air Force expects to have three combat-ready squadrons of F-16 fighters. This will allow to write off the MiG-21, which are in service with squadrons 861 Aviatie Lupta and 711 Aviatie Lupta.
Romanian Air Force MiG-21 fighters
Image source: scramble.nl
Romania has been arming itself with second-hand F-16s for almost a decade. In 2013, the first 12 aircraft were ordered from Portugal, and 5 more were purchased in 2019. This year Romania intends to purchase 32 more F-16 units decommissioned by Norway. These aircraft will allow Romania to fulfill its duties as a member of NATO. At the same time, the Romanian Defense Ministry says that after 2030 it intends to replace the F-16 with the latest F-35 fighters.
