Romania has signed an official agreement to procure 32 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II aircraft through a US Foreign Military Sale.
The deal is valued at approximately $6.4 billion. The delivery of the first F-35A fighter jet to Romania is expected by 2031.
This agreement was formalized through a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) during a ceremony held on November 21, 2024, in Bucharest. The event was attended by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, Minister of National Defense Angel Tîlvăr and US Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec.
“The 32 aircraft for which the purchase contract was signed between the governments of Romania and the United States of America represent the pinnacle of aviation performance at this time worldwide and will ensure interoperability with NATO allies,” said Minister Tîlvăr.
Tîlvăr highlighted that the agreement reflects Romania’s broader strategy to modernize its armed forces, with a firm commitment to allocating 2.5% of GDP to defense, as pledged within NATO.
“In the current security context, our partnership is stronger than ever, and the solidarity of the US with Romania, proven by the substantial presence of troops on the territory of our country, contributes to the strengthening of the defense of the Eastern flank of the Alliance, in the Black Sea region,” the defense minister said.
The F-35A fifth-generation fighters are set to replace the Romanian Air Force’s current fleet of F-16s. Recently, Romania acquired two batches of second-hand Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters, 17 from Portugal in 2016 and 32 from Norway in 2022. These acquisitions have replaced the aging MiG-21 LanceR fighters, which were retired on May 15, 2023.
In late August 2023, Romania agreed to establish an F-16 Pilot Training Center on its territory, with assistance from the Netherlands and Lockheed Martin.