The first European F-16 Training Center was inaugurated on Monday, November 13, at the Fetești Air Base in southern Romania. It is a partnership between Lockheed Martin, and subcontractors, Daedalus Aviation Group, Draken International, and GFD.
As part of the agreement, the team will be responsible for organizing, scheduling, operating, and maintaining the F-16 fighter jets provided by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) in support of F-16 training.
GFD and Draken will provide experienced F-16 instructor pilots with recent front-line experience flying F-16s in the U.S. Air Force and air forces throughout Europe, and ILIAS Solutions will be responsible for providing integrated defense software solutions for logistics and sustainment, training management, and flight scheduling.
Daedalus will bring expertise in the European Military Airworthiness Requirements regulatory framework, and will furthermore perform F-16 maintenance, repair, and logistics activities supported by Draken aircraft technicians.
More than 3,100 F-16s are operating today in 25 countries. The F-16 has flown an estimated 19.5 million flight hours and at least 13 million sorties.
