Aircraft

US government may supply F-16s and multi-role fighters to Romanian Air Force for $4.5 billion

By Stephen Trimble

A combination of new and used Lockheed Martin F-16s equipped with targeting pods and helmet-mounted mission controls highlight new details of the US government’s estimated $4.5 billion bid to supply the Romanian Air Force with 48 multi-role fighters.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which manages the foreign military sales system, informed Congress on 16 May about details of its bid.

The USA’s proposal anchored on the F-16 faces competitive bids from the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Saab JAS-39 Gripen.

The US will offer 24 new F-16C/Ds Block 50 or 52s, depending on Romania’s engine choice, and 24 used F-16C/D Block 25s powered by Pratt & Whitney engines.

The ground attack package also would include 12 Lockheed AAQ-33 Sniper or Northrop Grumman AAQ-28 Litening targeting pods and six joint helmet mounted cueing systems (JHMCS).

An air-to-air weapon is not listed in DSCA’s notice to Congress. Raytheon Missile Systems, which builds the AIM-9X Sidewinder and the AIM-120 advanced medium range air to air missile (AMRAAM), is listed as an uncredited supplier.

For the new F-16s, the US will offer Romania a choice between the P&W F100-PW-229 or the General Electric F110-GE-129. The used aircraft come equipped with the P&W F100-PW-220 engine.

Romania is looking to replace 21 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Lancer Cs used for air superiority missions and about 41 MiG-21 Lancer As used for ground-attack missions.