Transferred by the Netherlands for €1, 18 F-16s are joining the EFTC in Fetești. The objectives are to train Romanian and Ukrainian pilots and to establish a European hub.
In summary
Romania has officially taken possession of 18 ex-Dutch F-16s for the symbolic price of one euro . These aircraft operate at the European F-16 Training Center (EFTC) in Fetești, created with Romania (infrastructure), the Netherlands (aircraft), and Lockheed Martin/Draken (instructors and maintenance). The EFTC already trains Romanian pilots and, since 2024, Ukrainian pilots. The decision to transfer the aircraft for €1 is not a “disguised gift”: it confirms their exclusive use for training purposes, while accelerating the development of an F-16 training hub in Eastern Europe. At the same time, Romania is expanding its national fleet: 17 Portuguese F-16 MLUs already in service, 32 Norwegian F-16s currently being delivered, and a path towards the F-35 in the 2030s. The challenge goes beyond training: it involves absorbing a continuous flow of crews, mechanics, and armourers, aligning NATO standards, and supporting Ukraine over the long term.
The symbolic transfer for €1 and what it really means
The “price” of €1 is based on political and operational logic. The 18 ex-Koninklijke Luchtmacht F-16s are not joining a Romanian combat wing: they are assigned to a training mission within the EFTC. The value here is not in adding combat aircraft to the Romanian register, but in the ability to produce flight hours for training, to open up educational avenues (conversion, tactics, firing, electronic warfare) and to standardize methods for the benefit of several air forces. In short, the symbolic euro represents a conditional transfer where the end goal takes precedence over the financial transaction. This formula also simplifies governance: less contractual friction, greater responsiveness for the day-to-day use of the aircraft, while maintaining a clear intergovernmental framework. The Dutch are offloading a fleet that is at the end of its national career but still highly relevant for training, Romania is consolidating its role as a framework country on the eastern coast of NATO, and Ukraine is benefiting from a nearby, secure, and sustainable training pipeline. The publicity effect — “for one euro” — is secondary; the reality is hundreds of flight hours transferred each month from theory to practice.
The EFTC in Fetești: a high-speed European training platform
The European F-16 Training Center in Fetești (Baza 86) is designed as a complete facility: runways, simulators, mission rooms, workshops, spare parts, and mixed teams of instructors and technicians. The teaching model follows NATO standards: F-16AM/BM (Block 15 MLU) operational conversion, IFR procedures, in-flight refueling, sensor management (MLU radar, Litening/equivalents), use of guided munitions, and tactical training (BVR, COMAO, SEAD). The pace is key: for Ukraine, mission-ready pilots must be produced in months, not years. A typical schedule consists of 20-25 weeks of conversion training for pilots already qualified on fighter aircraft, followed by incremental tactical modules. On the mechanical side, classes of Ukrainian and Romanian technicians go through the system benches, learning MLU inspections (airframe, F100/F110 engine depending on configuration), weapons, oxygen, fuel, and munitions safety. The EFTC multiplies the fleet effect: 18 aircraft dedicated to training = more slots, fewer conflicts with the “air policing” and “QRA” schedules of national squadrons. The location in Romania also offers varied training areas, less congested air corridors than in Western Europe, and a useful geopolitical proximity for the forces concerned.
The Romanian fleet: from the MiG-21 transition to the F-16 stage, heading towards the F-35
Romania is emerging from a long period of MiG-21 LanceR service. The transition began with 12 F-16 MLUs from Portugal (2016-2017), followed by 5 additional aircraft to be delivered by 2021, bringing the first batch to 17. Then came the Norwegian contract: 32 F-16s for approximately €388 million, including parts, training, and adaptation to the M6.5.2 configuration. Deliveries will be staggered from 2023 and 2024, to reach a substantial national fleet. Let’s be clear: the 18 ex-Dutch aircraft transferred for €1 do not increase the number of Romanian “line” combat aircraft; they stabilize training capacity. This distinction is important for planning: the order of battle is one thing, crew production is another. By 2030, Bucharest aims to introduce the F-35 (first batch of 32), which already requires a culture of predictive maintenance, interoperability, and open architecture. The F-16 sequence (Portugal + Norway) is the essential intermediate step: it lends credibility to the transition, standardizes NATO procedures, and acculturates personnel to recent Western avionics.
The technical profile of the F-16 MLU: an ideal standard for fast and effective training
The ex-Dutch Block 15 MLU F-16s remain highly relevant for operational training. The MLU modernization focused on: mission computer, displays, Link 16 compatibility, increased BVR capabilities, use of precision-guided munitions, and integration of optronic pods. The modernized radar and tactical situation management, while not matching the AESA standards of the F-16Vs, remain demanding for training in sensor-weapons fusion. In terms of engines, depending on the version, there are F100-PW-220/229 or F110-GE-100 engines, which exposes mechanics to different logistics and maintenance chains—useful when training for multiple users. In terms of structures, the MLU area has benefited from extensions of potential (airframe flight hours) allowing it to withstand a high training rate. The educational benefit is clear: the MLU is modern enough to teach current tactics, while remaining forgiving and well-documented for learning purposes. For Ukraine, this means arriving on an “war” F-16 with a solid foundation: IFR, short/medium-range air-to-air firing, guided air-to-ground, basic electronic warfare, survivability, and networking.
Ukraine’s place: a long-term crew pipeline
The focus of the news is the training of Ukrainian pilots. The EFTC simplifies logistics (proximity, NATO status, security environment), reduces delays, and allows for a wave-like ramp-up. A realistic cycle: conversion on simulators + two-seater flights, single-seater transition, tactical modules, then return to unit for combat readiness. Progress is measured in flights per week and validated modules (air-to-air, air-to-ground, defense suppression). Let’s be honest, the constraint is not the aircraft; it is human resources: training enough pilots, ground navigators, controllers, mechanics, and armourers to support high sortie rates in operations. The EFTC addresses precisely this issue. The other benefit is that a common NATO standard reduces coalition friction; in the future, Ukrainian crews will be able to operate with aligned ATOs (Air Tasking Orders), compatible certifications, and shared air traffic and safety procedures. This foundation is essential for medium-term resilience.
The mechanics of training: instructors, simulators, and maintenance
A training center does not thrive on pretty pictures, but on technical availability. The 18 dedicated F-16s must operate with high availability rates: inspection planning, minimal cannibalization, anticipated critical stocks, and well-crafted support contracts. The presence of instructors and technicians provided by Lockheed Martin and Draken International reinforces the reliability of the system: standardized methods, up-to-date documentation, and training of trainers. High-end simulators (network, electromagnetic environment, joint scenarios) account for a significant part of the curriculum, reducing costs and better preparing students for actual flights. To keep up the pace, dedicated runways, available air work areas, and a planning unit that knows how to stack slots without overloading the system are also required. Here again, Fetești ticks all the boxes.
Geopolitical effects: a strong signal on NATO’s eastern flank
The €1 transfer is a political signal. It formalizes a burden-sharing arrangement: the Netherlands provides the equipment (the aircraft), Romania provides the land and infrastructure, American manufacturers determine the method and support, and Ukraine reaps the operational benefits. It is the European version of “train as you fight”: training where you might fight tomorrow. The regional effect is immediate: the EFTC attracts trainees, unifies standards, and anchors Romania as a framework country. It also has an impact on the war economy: rather than multiplying centers everywhere, we are massifying in Fetești, pooling stocks, instructors, simulators, and updates. Finally, it sends a message to Moscow: the training pipeline is in place, close by, and will not disappear with the political cycles. It is a structural capacity, not a one-off.
The budgetary reality: one euro hides many others
Saying “€1” is legally accurate, but technically incomplete. A center like the EFTC costs millions of euros per year in support, simulators, fuel, parts, training ammunition, and personnel. The ex-Dutch aircraft do not arrive “bare”: documentation, kits, tools, and logistics flows follow. The advantage is the fleet effect: 18 aircraft dedicated to training means a marginal cost per flight hour that decreases as the rate increases. And the more we train, the more we amortize. Ultimately, the arrival of the F-35s in Romania will require more digital and integrated teaching methods; the EFTC also serves as a laboratory for methods (data management, planning, predictive maintenance) that can later be transferred to the 5th generation.
Limitations and challenges: useful candor
It’s not all plain sailing. First, instructor resources are finite; the best profiles are in high demand. Second, Ukraine needs mechanics and ramp supervisors as much as it needs pilots, so solid parallel channels are needed. Thirdly, F-16 MLUs remain legacy platforms in the face of modern surface-to-air threats; training must focus on tactics, electronic warfare, and stand-off employment. Fourthly, the logistical footprint (jet fuel, parts) is heavy in times of supply tension. Finally, there is wear and tear: a high-cadence center wears out airframes; a clear potential plan, spare parts, and margins for major maintenance rotations are needed. Pointing out these limitations does not weaken the tool; it serves as a reminder that a training hub is an industry in its own right, with its own governance, trade-offs, and risks.
The 18 ex-Dutch F-16s transferred for one euro are not just an anecdote; they establish a capacity. Romania is anchoring a center capable of delivering crews and technicians at the pace of modern warfare. Ukraine finds a sustainable pipeline there. The partners find a common standard. This is the visible part of a sober choice: rather than dispersing efforts, concentrate them where they will produce skills that can be exploited tomorrow morning.
War Wings Daily is an independant magazine.