As a young NATO member, Romania has to increase the combat capability of it's air force and put to sleep some of the old birds it has in service during the next years.
The current OrBat of the RoAF looks like this:
712nd Fighter Sq. (MiG-21 Lancer C/B)
713th Helicopter Sq. (IAR-330L Puma)
862nd Fighter Sq. (MiG-21 Lancer A/B)
902nd Operational Airlift and Photo Sq. (An-24RT, An-26, An-30)
903rd Helicopter Airlift Sq. (IAR-330L Puma)
904th Attack Helicopter Sq. (IAR-330 Puma SOCAT)
905th Attack Helicopter Sq. (IAR-330 Puma SOCAT)
952nd Helicopter Sq. (IAR-330L Puma)
205th Training Sq. (MiG-21 Lancer A/B)
201-205 Training Squadrons (Yak-52, An-2, L-29, L-39ZA, IAR-99 Standard, IAR-99 Şoim, IAR-316B Alouette)
As you can see there's a mix of indiginous (IAR-99) and Czechoslovak built trainers (L-29, L-39), built under license from France helos (IAR-330L, IAR-316B), upgraded helios(Puma SOCAT) and upgraded fighter/attack aircraft (Lancer) along with a mixed fleet for airlift and recon. The MiG-21 will be taken out of service by 2011, and the first replacement aircraft should arrive in 2007. Oficially, the models considered for the replacement of the old MiGs are used F-16s, from de Israeli Air Force, aircraft that will undergo some upgrading by Elbit and Aerostar, just like the Lancer, the F/A-18... they were not specific as to what version or if it would be new or second-hand and new JAS-39 Gripens. As I said, this is oficially, but in reality, second-hand F-16 from IAF are almost certain.
Many people, especially those who don't really know much about military aviation, say that used F-16s are a bad deal, they would prefer some brand-new F-16s, maybe even some Block 60 jets or F/A-18E/Fs... I agree with them those would be really nice and a better option compared to some IAF second-hand Falcons, maybe only A/Bs. Problem is... if you want top fighters, you need money, lots of money, and this is what the Romanian Ministry of Defence (MApN) doesn't have at this moment. For the price of a few F-16E/Fs or Gripens we could get about 40 used F-16 from IAF. With the lack of money in mind, I say that this is a good deal, these used F-16. What do you think, and apart from this Falcon deal, how do you see the future of RoAF?
The current OrBat of the RoAF looks like this:
- Airbase 71 Câmpia Turzii
712nd Fighter Sq. (MiG-21 Lancer C/B)
713th Helicopter Sq. (IAR-330L Puma)
- Airbase 86 Feteşti
862nd Fighter Sq. (MiG-21 Lancer A/B)
- Airlift Base 90 "Gheorghe Bănciulescu" - Otopeni airport, near Bucharest
902nd Operational Airlift and Photo Sq. (An-24RT, An-26, An-30)
903rd Helicopter Airlift Sq. (IAR-330L Puma)
904th Attack Helicopter Sq. (IAR-330 Puma SOCAT)
905th Attack Helicopter Sq. (IAR-330 Puma SOCAT)
- Airbase 95 Bacău
952nd Helicopter Sq. (IAR-330L Puma)
205th Training Sq. (MiG-21 Lancer A/B)
- Airbase 20 Boboc
201-205 Training Squadrons (Yak-52, An-2, L-29, L-39ZA, IAR-99 Standard, IAR-99 Şoim, IAR-316B Alouette)
As you can see there's a mix of indiginous (IAR-99) and Czechoslovak built trainers (L-29, L-39), built under license from France helos (IAR-330L, IAR-316B), upgraded helios(Puma SOCAT) and upgraded fighter/attack aircraft (Lancer) along with a mixed fleet for airlift and recon. The MiG-21 will be taken out of service by 2011, and the first replacement aircraft should arrive in 2007. Oficially, the models considered for the replacement of the old MiGs are used F-16s, from de Israeli Air Force, aircraft that will undergo some upgrading by Elbit and Aerostar, just like the Lancer, the F/A-18... they were not specific as to what version or if it would be new or second-hand and new JAS-39 Gripens. As I said, this is oficially, but in reality, second-hand F-16 from IAF are almost certain.
Many people, especially those who don't really know much about military aviation, say that used F-16s are a bad deal, they would prefer some brand-new F-16s, maybe even some Block 60 jets or F/A-18E/Fs... I agree with them those would be really nice and a better option compared to some IAF second-hand Falcons, maybe only A/Bs. Problem is... if you want top fighters, you need money, lots of money, and this is what the Romanian Ministry of Defence (MApN) doesn't have at this moment. For the price of a few F-16E/Fs or Gripens we could get about 40 used F-16 from IAF. With the lack of money in mind, I say that this is a good deal, these used F-16. What do you think, and apart from this Falcon deal, how do you see the future of RoAF?
Last edited: