The US State Department announced that it has authorized the $7.2 billion sale of several F-35 fighter planes to Romania, an ally in NATO.
The US aerospace and military behemoth Lockheed Martin will supply Bucharest with 32 F-35A planes and associated equipment as part of the contract, which still has to be authorized by Congress.
By enhancing the security of a NATO ally that is a significant driver of political and economic stability in Europe, this proposed sale will promote the foreign policy aims and national security objectives of the United States, according to a statement from the State Department.
The contract announcement coincides with the start of training for Ukrainian pilots this week at a dedicated facility in Romania on F-16s, US-built fighter planes that Washington has given Kyiv permission to deploy to fend off an invasion by Russia.
With its advantageous location at the entrance to both the Black Sea and Ukraine, Romania hopes to establish itself as a global center for F-16 training.
In November 2023, it opened an F-16 training center at its Fetesti air base and promised to teach Ukrainians there as well.
On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with his colleague Luminita Odobescu in Romania and expressed gratitude to Bucharest for providing Ukraine with a Patriot missile defense system.
Additionally, the State Department declared on Friday that a $4.1 billion sale of a KC-46A aerial refueling tanker to Japan had been approved.
