In a significant development, Romania, a NATO member, has grounded its entire fleet of MiG 21 LanceR fighter aircraft and will speed up a planned purchase of second-hand F-16s from Norway, said its defence ministry.

The Russia Ukraine war is significantly increasing the number of US weapons sales in Europe and in the Baltics. Incidentally, Romania shares a 400 mile (650-kilometre) border with Russia.

In 2016, Romania bought its first US F-16 jets from Portugal in 2016; it nows plans to buy 32 F-16 jets from Norway.

“The available resources of the aircrafts from the three squadrons ensure … their operation for a minimum of 10 years and will form an air capability of transition to fifth-generation F-35 jets,” said the ministry.

Romania is a member of the NATO military alliance since 2004. It plans on raising its defence spending to 2.5% of its GDP said Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.

Currently, Romania hosts more than 3,000 NATO troops; it will have a permanent alliance battlegroup stationed on its territory.

Categories: Creativity, Economy & Finance, Entrepreneurship, Geopolitics, HR & Organization, Strategy

Tags: arms, arms sales, ArmSales, Baltics, defence, defence ministry, defense, Europe, fighter aircraft, fleet, Klaus Iohannis, MiG 21 LanceR, NATO, Norway, president, Romania, second hand, squadrons, U.S., US, weapons, weapons sales, WeaponSales