The aircraft are inherited from the communist era, and Romania decided to say goodbye to them on Monday. The country is parting with its MIG-21 LanceR fighter jets, replaced by more modern American F-16s in a context of strengthening NATO’s eastern flank. On the front line since the launch of the Russian offensive in neighboring Ukraine, Bucharest has redoubled its efforts in recent months to modernize its defense.
Romania will now use 17 second-hand F-16s purchased from Portugal. It also signed a contract with Norway in November for 32 planes. A member of NATO since 2004, it covets the latest generation of American F-35 fighters, but it will probably take years for this expensive project to become a reality. “It was time for us to move on to something better, more in tune with global realities,” said pilot Adrian Trifa, 37, before taking off from the Borcea base (Southeast) for his last flight. , on the occasion of one of the ceremonies organized this Monday by the Minister of Defense.
A “considerable number of accidents”
For this soldier, who has 750 flight hours on the clock, it’s a page that turns. Especially since he will not be trained on the F-16s: “I am too old,” he says. Apprenticeship is in fact reserved for those under 35 years of age. The exact number of MIG-21 LanceR fighters Romania has is confidential. According to unofficial estimates, it has 25. During the Communist era, it had about 400.
The flights of these obsolete aircraft were temporarily suspended last year after “a considerable number of accidents” and technical problems. They then resumed service for surveillance and pilot training missions. Thirty MIG-21s were destroyed in incidents between 1991 and 2022, according to the Department of Defense. They should have been withdrawn a long time ago, but the decision was delayed for lack of money, believes Stefan Danila, a retired general. “Ukraine has shown no interest,” he said, pointing out that the combat capability of the remaining fighter jets is limited.