Lockheed Martin plans to double the instructional capability of the F-16 pilot training center opened in November at the Romanian Air Force 86th Air Base to meet the demand from the United States and its allies.
Frank St. John, chief operating officer at Lockheed, told Defense One that expanding the training facility, which graduated its first group of eight Romanian pilots recently, “could probably do upwards of 30 to 40 pilots” a year. He added that the training center is ready to accommodate Ukrainian F-16 pilots, and Lockheed can also help in the U.S. and Ukrainian efforts to establish a maintenance and logistics network for the F-16s that Kyiv has acquired.
Ukraine started the aircraft’s deployment in its war against Russia in early August, according to CNBC.
The Lockheed executive noted that the Ukrainian F-16s could be maintained at Lockheed’s sustainment hub in Poland, which is geared to support F-16s operating in Europe. “Our intention for that facility is that it’ll be a regional facility,” St. John said.
In addition, the company is eyeing setting up F-16 maintenance centers in western Europe, Australia and East Asia.