Mircea Dusa said Sunday, in a press statement delivered at the 71st Air Flotilla in Campia Turzii, Cluj County, that the Ministry of Defense was going through two major programs, the first one focused on achieving cargo transport military capability and the second concerned the combat aviation, Mediafax reports.
‘We are currently undertaking two important projects, the first regarding the achievement of cargo transport military capability and military and the second focused on the combat aviation. As of this year, the modernization program in the field of combat aviation begins and provides for ’ the endowment of our fleets with multirole fighters aircraft. This program is a complex one that covers not only the acquisition of aircrafts, but also the modernization of their mechanics and avionics, which will be last generation. At the same time, it also targets the modernization of the infrastructure in the country to be compatible with the F-16s and the purchase of armament and ammunition for air missions and training technical personnel - pilots, maintenance personnel. This capability cannot be achieved from one day to the next, but in time. There will be brought to Romania12 F-16s, in the first phase, while the multirole aircraft endowment program will continue. It is a serious effort by the Government of Romania and the budget to provide such military capability. F-16s will be brought in the country, probably in 2015. Even if we bring them today, we will keep them in the airport, pilots must be trained and their training will take place in the U.S., on the devices that we buy, " Dusa said.
The Minister said that, in terms of cargo transport program it is already running, the Ministry of Defense has five Spartan aircrafts, with which they conducted humanitarian missions.
"Two more planes are going to arrive, probably by the end of this year, a Medevac for rescue missions and one used to fighting forest fires," Dusa said.
Defense Minister attended Sunday at the 71st Air Flotilla in Câmpia Turzii the events organized to celebrate the Air Force Day and a Centenary of Military Aeronautics and watched an air show performed with eight MIG 21 Lancer fighters, 6 helicopters IAR-330 Socat, an IAR-99 ªoim aircraft and planes with paratroopers from the Romanian Air Club athletes.
Dusa visited the static exhibition opened inside the base displaying airplanes, helicopters, weapons and combat aviation technics.
The access to the event was free with several thousand people attending it.
Romania will purchase 12 old F-16 fighters from the U.S. and Portugal F-16, for which it will pay 628 million Euros.
