The message of the US ambassador, at the graduation ceremony of the first series of F-16 pilots: "Tangible example of collaboration between allies"

The message of the US ambassador, at the graduation ceremony of the first series of F-16 pilots: “Tangible example of collaboration between allies”

The US ambassador to Romania, Kathleen Kavalec, urged, on Friday, at the ceremony dedicated to the graduation of the first batch of Romanian pilots trained at the European F-16 Training Center in Borcea, that said center should also be opened to “other allies and regional partners” , especially the Ukrainian military.

Kathleen Kavalec: The F-16 Center offers first-class training PHOTO: InquamPhotos Sabin Cîrstoveanu

“We look forward to Romania opening the training center to other allies and regional partners, especially Ukraine“, said the US ambassador to Romania, Kathleen Kavalec, at the graduation ceremony of the first batch of Romanian pilots trained at the European F-16 Training Center in Borcea.

Kavalec stated that this center is remarkable not only because it is the first of its kind in Europe, but also because “it is a tangible example of the fruits of partnership and collaboration between allies“.

In this regard, he recalled that the Royal Dutch Air Force has so far provided 14 F-16 aircraft to Borcea.

“The agreement with Romania to operate Dutch aircraft from a Romanian base and conduct training operations in Romanian airspace represented a key step in the creation of a new pool of trained F-16 pilots. Today’s event is yet another example of Romania’s determination to be a leader in collective defense and security in the Black Sea region – in this case, with the potential to enable air-to-air defense capabilities well beyond the country’s borders, as future groups of pilots are trained and join NATO airmen“, the US ambassador in Romania pointed out, according to Agerpres.

Regarding the graduates, Kathleen Kavalec said they learned not only how to operate an advanced fighter jet, but also how to use it in team formations while executing modern air-to-air and air-to-ground flight tactics. According to the ambassador, F-16 pilots from Romania make our country “an even more important contributor to the defense of the airspace on NATO’s Eastern Flank“.

At the same time, Kavalec mentioned the involvement of the American company Lockheed Martin in supporting the training center.

“This center provides first class aircraft maintenance training and everything needed to maintain a successful flight operation“, the diplomat also stated.

Adrian Stoica

Adrian Stoica

Adrian is the founder and the visionary behind Cluj Napoca, a media platform committed to capturing and sharing the vibrant stories of Cluj-Napoca and Romania with an international audience. A graduate in international journalism from the University of Bucharest and holder of a Master’s in Cultural Studies from Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Adrian has a robust educational background that equips him to understand and analyze the complexities of his native region's culture and history.