전투기 루마니아, 노르웨이 공군의 중고 F-16 32기 도입

[위종민]

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/32579-norwegian-air-force-f16-will-replace-aging-romania-mig31

Norwegian Air Force F-16s to replace aging Romania’s MiG-21s

루마니아 공군이 MiG-21 대체기로 노르웨이 공군이 운용하던 F-16AM/BM 32기를 3억 8,440만 달러에 도입하네요. 2023~2024년까지 인도가 완료될 예정입니다. 

루마니아 공군은 현재 MiG-21일을 23기 운용중이며, 포르투갈 공군이 운용하던 F-16AM/BM MLU를 17기 운용중입니다. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_the_Romanian_Air_Force ) 

Norwegian Air Force F-16s to replace aging Romania’s MiG-21s

2-3 minutes

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The Romanian Defense Ministry has agreed with the government of Norway to purchase F-16AM/BM multirole fighter jets, which had previously served the Royal Norwegian Air Force (Luftforsvaret). 

Under the three-year contract, which is valued at around $384,4 million (€388 million), Romania agreed to buy a total of 32 F-16AM/BM fighters in M6.5.2 configuration. The deal, which was officially announced on November 4, 2022, also includes spare fighter jet engines and other necessary spare parts as well as training for the ground maintenance personnel. 

Deliveries of the military planes are set to begin by the end of 2023 and should be completed during 2024.  

The former Norwegian Air Force F-16s will replace the aging Romanian Air Force (RoAF) Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighters. 

The Romanian Air Force has recorded numerous incidents involving its MiG-21 fleet. For example, a single MiG-21 crashed in Constanța County in June 2017. Another fighter jet of the type suffered technical difficulties and crashed during an airshow in Borcea in July 2018.  

In April 2021, a RoAF MiG-21 crashed in an uninhabited zone in Mureș County during its training flight. Fortunately, the pilot managed to eject safely and survived the incident. Most recently, in March 2022, a MiG-21 crashed during adverse weather conditions near the village of Gura Dobrogei, Cogealac Commune.  

In response to the high rate of incidents, the RoAF suspended MiG-21 operations in spring 2022. However, it later resumed fighter jet flights for a period of one year, until May 2023. 

According to Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram, the recent deal reflects “an important contribution in view of reinforcing a NATO ally’s air force” and will benefit both Norwegian and Romanian defense industries. 

이 기사가 더 자세한데, 루마니아가 현재 운용중인 구 포르투갈군 운용 기체는 블록 50/52에 준하는 M5.2R 규격이고 M6.5.2 규격은 AIM-12D와 신형 JDAM 운용이 가능하다고 합니다. 

https://www.aviacionline.com/2022/06/romanian-government-authorizes-the-purchase-of-32-ex-norwegian-f-16-mlus/

Romanian government authorizes the purchase of 32 ex-Norwegian F-16 MLUs

Romanian government authorizes the purchase of 32 ex-Norwegian F-16 MLUs

Gastón Dubois

3-4 minutes

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The Romanian government on Thursday approved a bill to buy 32 second-hand F-16 fighter jets from Norway, as well as logistics support and services, for an estimated 454 million euros ($473 million).

According to Reuters, the information would have been confirmed by the Romanian Defense Minister.

As we advanced at the end of 2021, Romania was looking to incorporate more F-16 fighter jets, from the surplus of other NATO member countries, to form two squadrons and to be able to finally replace its old MiG-21 LanceR.

See also: Romania suspends operation of it´s MiG-21 LanceR fighter jets

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The Romanian Air Force (RoAF) currently has 17 F-16 A/B fighter aircraft purchased second-hand from Portugal between 2016 and 2021. These aircraft were at the time upgraded to MLU standard, M5.2R configuration, which gives it similar capabilities to the F-16s of blocks 50/52.

Former Portuguese F-16A MLU, now operated by the Romanian Air Force. Photo courtesy: Romanian Air Force.

In contrast, the Norwegian F-16s are more capable because they have MLU modernization in the more advanced M6.5.2 configuration, which includes the ability to drop other more modern smart bombs (Laser JDAM) or AMRAAM-120D long-range air-to-air missiles.

Better the Norwegians

In addition to the fact that the Norwegian F-16 MLUs are upgraded to a more advanced configuration, another key point that tipped the balance in their favor is that they are in an excellent state of maintenance.

The Director General of the Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency, Mette Sørfonden, commented some time ago that: «They are one of the best maintained fighter aircraft in the world and, in general, they are in an excellent technical condition…».

Norwegian F-16B. Photo courtesy: Norwegian Air Force.

That was also an aspect that influenced the decision by Draken, the private aggressor training company, to acquire a dozen of these fighters for U.S. service, following the purchase of another 12 decommissioned F-16 MLUs by the Royal Netherlands Air Force.

See also: More F-16 for Draken, now from Norway

F-16s for 10 years, and then the technological leap

In the words of the Romanian Defense Minister, the MiG-21 LanceRs will continue to fly until 2023, when they will finally be replaced by the «new» F-16 MLUs, which have a planned 10-year operational life within the Romanian Air Force (Forţele Aeriene Române).

Halfway through the F-16’s decade of service, and as part of an ambitious overall rearmament plan, Romania plans to make the technological leap to the fifth generation of fighters and purchase the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightining II.

Gastón Dubois

Editor en jefe en Aviacionline Defensa. Editor-in-Chief Aviacionline Defense. Feliz de poder darle letra a esta pasión y compartirla con Uds. Contacto: gaston.dubois@aviacionline.com

[백선호]

전자 장비는 바꿨어도 기체는 만든지 거의 40년이 다 된 것들일텐데... 보강을 새로 다 했을라나요?

https://www.f-16.net/f-16_users_article12.html

[엽군]

기골 보강하면야...

[위종민]

기사들마다 노르웨이에서 굴리던 F-16은 유지보수가 잘 됐다고 칭찬이 자자한데 기골보강 정도는 한 것 같습니다.

[無名人]

이걸 우리가 사왔어야 하는데 ...ㅠ.ㅠ

[백선호]

중고 전투기를 산다고 하면 여기저기서 극심한 반대가 있어서 힘들지 않을까요? 특히 산업계에서 그럴 것 같고요... -.-;;;

그리고 감시정찰용 비즈니스제트기는 컨포멀 안테나를 붙인 형상의 비행시험이 이미 다 되어 있고 많이 팔려서 부품 구하기도 쉬울 G550같은 것을 중고로 사는 것이 나을 것 같은데 무조건 새로 만든 것을 고집해서 돈을 훨씬 더 쓰게 되지 않을까 싶습니다. 특히 많이 팔리지 않은 기종을 고르면 더욱...

[無名人]

지당하신 말씀입니다.