Romanian Air Force
The Romanian Air Force (Forțele Aeriene Române) traces its law of foundation to 1 April 1913, fought in both world wars on both sides of the second, flew the Warsaw Pact’s only home-grown jet fighter-bomber, kept Soviet MiG-21s flying until 2023, and today is a NATO frontline force of about 64 second-hand F-16s that is shooting down drones over its own territory while it waits for the F-35.
The Romanian Air Force story: Cotroceni in 1912, both sides of the Second World War and drones over the Danube
1912–1918: Cotroceni, Coandă and a war fought on a shoestring
Romanian military flying began with a royal decree of 27 March 1912 that opened a military flying school at Cotroceni, in Bucharest, on 1 April 1912, with a Farman III and Blériot monoplanes and 17 officer-cadets; that autumn Lieutenant Ștefan Protopopescu tested the Bristol-Coandă, designed by the Romanian engineer Henri Coandă. The law organising military aeronautics followed on 1 April 1913, the date the air force still treats as its birthday, and the Romanian-language Wikipedia records a first reconnaissance sortie in the Second Balkan War on 24 July 1913. When Romania entered the First World War in August 1916 it had to buy almost everything abroad: Wikipedia counts 322 aircraft from France and Britain. The air force’s own balance sheet lists 8,160 flying hours, 560 air combats, 62 tonnes of bombs, 6,981 aerial photographs and 28 pilots and observers killed. It was brave and badly equipped, a pattern that would recur.
1924–1944: the Royal Air Force of Romania, the IAR 80 and the Eastern Front
Aviation became a separate arm on 1 January 1924, and a state secretariat for air was created on 5 May 1932. The interwar service bought abroad — 12 Hurricanes, 20 Bf 109Es, 30 He 112s, Blenheims, Potez 63s and Bloch 210s, according to the official history — but it also built its own. The I.A.R. works at Brașov produced the IAR 80, an all-metal fighter designed by Ion Grossu and Ion Coșereanu that first flew in 1939 and entered service in 1940–41; the air force puts production at about 500, Wikipedia at 450. On 22 June 1941 Romania joined the German attack on the Soviet Union with 621 aircraft, 253 of them in the Combat Air Group. Romanian squadrons fought over Bessarabia, Odessa and, by September 1942, with 26 squadrons in the Stalingrad and Don bend area. At home the IAR 80 met the B-24s of the Ploiești raid on 1 August 1943 and the P-38s of 10 June 1944.
23 August 1944: changing sides in mid-air
On 23 August 1944 King Michael had Marshal Antonescu arrested and Romania changed sides. Airmen who had been escorting German aircraft the day before were now fighting them over Bucharest: Wikipedia’s account of the first week credits Romanian fighters with 22 German aircraft shot down, three of them Me 323 Gigant transports, for four lost in the air and 30 on the ground; another passage gives 59 German aircraft destroyed between 24 and 31 August. The service then flew with the Soviet air forces over Transylvania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. The official history counts 805 sorties and 13 aircraft lost in Hungary (October–December 1944) and 4,981 sorties, 946 tonnes of bombs, 65 aircraft lost and 39 airmen killed in Czechoslovakia up to 12 May 1945. Wikipedia’s total for the anti-German campaign is 126 enemy aircraft claimed for about 176 Romanian aircraft lost, mostly in accidents. The best-known aces, Constantin Cantacuzino and Alexandru Șerbănescu, had fought on both sides of that line or died before it.
1949–1989: Soviet model, Romanian exceptions
Communist rule rebuilt the air force on the Soviet pattern: an Aviation Command in February 1949, the name Forțele Aeriene Militare from 1 April 1950, Yak-23 jets from 1951 and, according to Wikipedia, about 514 MiG-15s and their Czechoslovak and trainer versions. MiG-19s arrived in 1958 and MiG-21s in February 1962; MiG-23s followed from 1979 at Mihail Kogălniceanu. Romania then did something no other Warsaw Pact state did. With Yugoslavia it designed a twin-engined attack jet, the IAR-93, whose first prototype flew at Bacău on 31 October 1974, the same day as its Yugoslav twin, the Orao. Wikipedia counts 87 in service, but underpowered engines and small production runs made it a costly symbol of Ceaușescu’s independence, and the last were withdrawn in 1998. The jet trainer IAR 99 Șoim followed, first flying on 21 December 1985. The MiG-29 came at the very end, from December 1989; only 21 were delivered according to Wikipedia.
1990–2023: LanceR, NATO and the second-hand F-16
After 1989 money was short, and the answer was to upgrade what existed. With Elbit of Israel, Aerostar at Bacău rebuilt MiG-21s as the LanceR: the first flew on 22 August 1995, and Wikipedia counts 71 LanceR A attack jets, 14 LanceR B trainers and 26 LanceR C air-defence fighters. The MiG-29 and MiG-23 were retired early in the 2000s. Romania joined NATO in 2004 — the flag went up at NATO headquarters on 2 April 2004 — and the LanceR flew Baltic Air Policing from Šiauliai in 2007. The long-promised new fighter turned out to be second-hand: 12 Portuguese F-16s bought in 2013, the first six handed over in September 2016, five more by 2021, and 32 from Norway for 388 million euros on 4 November 2022. The weakness was plain in the LanceR’s last years: after the loss of a MiG-21 and a rescue IAR 330 with eight airmen on 2 March 2022 the fleet was grounded, and it was retired on 15 May 2023.
2023–2026: F-35 on order, a training hub at Fetești and drones over the Danube
In 2023–2026 the air force became busier than at any time since 1945. Romania chose the F-35A: the Supreme Council of National Defence approved the plan on 11 April 2023 and 32 aircraft were contracted on 21 November 2024, with the first eight expected in 2032 according to Wikipedia. The European F-16 Training Centre opened at the 86th Air Base on 13 November 2023, with Dutch jets and Lockheed Martin and Draken International instructors; Romania bought its 18 F-16s for one euro on 3 November 2025, taking its F-16 total to 67. Russian strikes on Ukrainian ports across the Danube put drones in Romanian skies: on 24, 25 and 26 July 2026 Romanian F-16s shot down three of them, and on 20 August an F-16 hit a maritime drone near a Black Sea gas platform with its cannon. On 19 May 2026 a Romanian F-16 on NATO duty from Šiauliai had already destroyed a drone over Estonia. What is still missing is mass: one fighter type, old transports and Pumas carry the whole load until the F-35s arrive.
The Romanian Air Force in numbers
Service
- Native name
- Forțele Aeriene RomâneThe name used by the official site roaf.ro; the English abbreviation is RoAF. Between 1924 and 1947 it was the Aeronautica Regală Română (Royal Romanian Air Force) and from 1 April 1950 Forțele Aeriene Militare
- Founded
- 1 April 1913The first law organising military aeronautics; the military flying school at Cotroceni had opened on 1 April 1912. Aviation became an independent arm on 1 January 1924
- Part of
- Romanian Armed ForcesOne of three services under the Defence Staff (Statul Major al Apărării), headed by General Gheorghiță Vlad
- Headquarters
- BucharestThe Air Force Staff; operational command is exercised through the Air Component Command (Comandamentul Componentei Aeriene)
- Chief of the Air Force Staff
- Lt. Gen. Leonard-Gabriel BaraboiAppointed 23 May 2024 per the official biography; a former MiG-21 LanceR pilot and commander of the 95th and 71st Air Bases
- Minister of National Defence
- Radu MiruțăNamed as minister in ministry press releases of July and August 2026; Ionuț Moșteanu held the post when the Dutch F-16 contract was signed on 3 November 2025
Strength
- Personnel
- About 11,700The IISS Military Balance 2022 figure quoted by Wikipedia; the Romanian-language Wikipedia also gives an older figure of 10,800. No current official total was found
- Combat aircraft
-
- F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon — 64 in service of 67 bought
17 from Portugal, 32 from Norway and 18 from the Netherlands (the last for the training centre); Wikipedia lists three Norwegian aircraft still to be delivered. The MiG-21 LanceR was retired on 15 May 2023
- Transport and special mission
-
- C-27J Spartan — 7
- C-130B/H Hercules — up to 8
- An-30 — 2
- An-26 — 1
All at the 90th Airlift Base, Otopeni. Wikipedia gives 4 C-130B and 4 C-130H; the base page lists only the C-130H, including two C-130H2 received from the US Air Force in 2023. The An-30 is certified for Open Skies flights
- Helicopters
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- IAR 330 Puma (all versions) — 57, including 22 IAR 330 SOCAT
- IAR 316B Alouette III — 7
Licence-built at Brașov. Wikipedia’s inventory; not confirmed on an official page
- Trainers
-
- IAR 99 Șoim — 21
- Yak-52 (Iak-52) — 14
The IAR 99 flies with the 95th Air Base at Bacău; basic training is at Boboc. Fighter pilots finish on the F-16 at the European F-16 Training Centre, Fetești
- Ground-based air defence
- Patriot, 1st Surface-to-Air Missile BrigadeThe 74th Patriot Regiment and the 1st SAM Brigade are air force units; IRIS-T SL, SPYDER and Skynex systems are on order according to Wikipedia
- Defence budget
- About US$11.2 billion (2026), 2.45% of GDPWikipedia’s figures from the ministry’s budget announcement of 20 March 2026; not checked on the ministry’s own page
Infrastructure
- Flying air bases
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- 86th Air Base, Fetești (Borcea) — F-16, European F-16 Training Centre
- 71st Air Base, Câmpia Turzii — F-16, IAR 330
- 57th Air Base, Mihail Kogălniceanu — F-16, IAR 330, NATO hub
- 90th Airlift Base, Otopeni — C-130, C-27J, An-30, IAR 330
- 95th Air Base, Bacău — IAR 99, IAR 330
- Aurel Vlaicu training base, Boboc — basic flying training
The units listed on roaf.ro
- NATO presence
- Allied fighters on enhanced air policingItalian Eurofighters (July 2026) and Spanish F/A-18s (August 2026) were scrambled alongside Romanian F-16s against drones; Mihail Kogălniceanu has been used by US forces since 1999
- Search and rescue
- IAR 330 detachmentsThe air force runs a search and rescue detachment and the 76th Search and Rescue Brigade
- Air Force Academy
- BrașovAcademia Forțelor Aeriene “Henri Coandă”; Boboc keeps the tradition of the 1912 Cotroceni school
- Deployed abroad (2026)
- Six F-16s at ŠiauliaiThe Carpathian Vipers detachment of about 100 personnel on NATO Baltic Air Policing
How the Romanian Air Force is organised
One Air Force Staff in Bucharest, with operational command through the Air Component Command, over five flying air bases and a flying school. The F-16, the only fighter type, flies from Fetești and Câmpia Turzii; allied fighters on NATO enhanced air policing use Mihail Kogălniceanu, transport flies from Otopeni and jet training from Bacău. The Patriot regiment and the 1st Surface-to-Air Missile Brigade are air force units.
Air Force Staff
In Bucharest, one of three services under the Defence Staff. Lt. Gen. Leonard-Gabriel Baraboi, a former MiG-21 LanceR pilot, has been Chief of the Air Force Staff since 23 May 2024 by the official biography; operational command runs through the Air Component Command.
86th Air Base
Romania’s first F-16 base: the 53rd Fighter Squadron has flown ex-Portuguese F-16s since September 2016, and the European F-16 Training Centre, opened on 13 November 2023, trains Romanian, allied and Ukrainian pilots. On 24 July 2026 an F-16 from the base shot down a drone over Buzău County.
71st Air Base
The 48th Fighter Squadron’s ex-Norwegian F-16s replaced the MiG-21 LanceR, retired on 15 May 2023; the first three landed on 19 April 2024. The base also flies IAR 330 helicopters, here and at its Timișoara annex, and hosts US and Dutch MQ-9 Reapers.
57th Air Base
IAR 330 helicopters, the allied fighters of NATO enhanced air policing and US Army Garrison Black Sea, on a field shared with Constanța’s civil airport. The base is being expanded into a large NATO air base, starting with the first runway the ministry has built in 30 years.
90th Airlift Base
Seven C-27J Spartans, up to eight C-130 Hercules, the An-30 Open Skies aircraft and IAR 330 helicopters, on the military side of Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport.
95th Air Base and the Boboc flying school
Basic training on the Yak-52 and IAR 316B at Boboc, which keeps the tradition of the 1912 Cotroceni school, and advanced jet training on the Romanian-built IAR 99 Șoim at Bacău. Fighter pilots finish on the F-16 at Fetești.
What the Romanian Air Force flies today
Every type on charge, linked to its Book of Beasts page where one exists. Counts are aircraft on the books, not aircraft available on a given day.
| Type | Role | In service | Since | Units | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Dynamics F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon (MLU)In service | Multirole fighter | 64 | 2016 | 64 in service of 67 bought: 17 ex-Portuguese (12 contracted on 11 October 2013, five more in 2019), 32 ex-Norwegian (contract of 4 November 2022, 388 million euros) and 18 ex-Dutch (3 November 2025, one euro, for the training centre).
MoreWikipedia lists three Norwegian aircraft still to be delivered. |
||
| Lockheed C-130B and C-130H HerculesIn service | Tactical transport | 8 | 1996 | Wikipedia: 4 C-130B and 4 C-130H. The official base page lists only the C-130H, including two C-130H2 from the US Air Force in 2023, so the B-models’ status is unclear. | ||
| Leonardo (Alenia) C-27J SpartanIn service | Tactical transport | 7 | 2010 | Seven ordered in December 2007; the first two delivered in April 2010. | ||
| Antonov An-30In service | Aerial survey and Open Skies | 2 | 1976 | Three received, two in service. | ||
| Antonov An-26In service | Transport | 1 | 1974 | 11 received from 1974; one left in service per Wikipedia. | ||
| IAR 330 Puma (IAR 330L, IAR 330 SOCAT, IAR 330 M)In service | Utility, search and rescue and armed helicopter | 57 | 1975 | 57 in service, 22 of them the SOCAT armed version (Wikipedia). 15 IAR 330H and 112 IAR 330L were built for the air force from 1975. | ||
| IAR 316B Alouette IIIIn service | Training and light utility helicopter | 7 | 1971 | 120 built for the air force from 1971; seven left in service per Wikipedia. | ||
| IAR 99 ȘoimIn service | Advanced jet trainer and light attack | 21 | 1987 | 11 standard IAR 99 and 12 upgraded IAR 99C Șoim delivered per Wikipedia; 21 in service. | ||
| Yakovlev Yak-52 (Aerostar Iak-52)In service | Primary trainer | 14 | 14 per Wikipedia. |
On order
| Type | Ordered | First delivery | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIOn order | 32 | 2032 | Plan approved by the Supreme Council of National Defence on 11 April 2023; contract for 32 signed on 21 November 2024, making Romania the 20th F-35 nation.
MoreWikipedia describes a second stage of 16 for 48 in all, replacing the F-16 between 2034 and 2040, with the first eight due in 2032. The contract value was not confirmed on an official page and is left out. |
|
| Airbus Helicopters H225M CaracalOn order | 12 | Listed as a firm order of 12 in Wikipedia (citing avionslegendaires.net); contract date and deliveries were not confirmed on an official page. | ||
| Airbus Helicopters H175MOn order | 6 | Listed on order in Wikipedia; not confirmed on an official page. |
Every type the Romanian Air Force has retired
34 types, from the Farman III, Blériot and Bristol-Coandă to the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 LanceR A, B and C. Peak figures are airframes taken on charge over the whole service life, not fleet strength on any one date.
| Type | Role | Peak | Served | Replaced by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 LanceR A, B and C | Multirole fighter | 1998–2023 | F-16 | 110–111 upgraded: Wikipedia’s list gives 71 LanceR A, 14 LanceR B and 26 LanceR C (111); Wikipedia’s own conversion notes add up differently. | ||
| Mil Mi-8T, Mi-8PS and Mi-17 | Transport helicopter | 42 | 1968–2022 | IAR 330 | 25 Mi-8T, 14 Mi-8PS and 3 Mi-17 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Aero L-39ZA Albatros | Jet trainer | 32 | 1981–2007 | IAR 99 | 32 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Antonov An-24RT | Transport | 10 | 1965–2007 | Ten per Wikipedia’s list. | ||
| Aero L-29 Delfín | Jet trainer | 52 | 1965–2005 | 52 per Wikipedia’s list. | ||
| Mikoyan MiG-29A, MiG-29S and MiG-29UB | Air superiority fighter | 23 | 1989–2004 | 17 MiG-29A, 1 MiG-29S and 5 MiG-29UB per Wikipedia’s list (23); the main article says only 21 were delivered. | ||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MF and MiG-23UB | Interceptor | 46 | 1979–2003 | 36 MiG-23MF and 10 MiG-23UB per Wikipedia’s list; the 57th Regiment had 23 MiG-23MF and 32 MiG-21M in 1983. | ||
| Ilyushin Il-28 and Harbin H-5 | Bomber and reconnaissance | 27 | 11 Il-28 and 16 Chinese-built H-5 per Wikipedia’s list. | |||
| IAR-93 Vultur (IAR-93A, MB and B) | Ground attack | 87 | 1979–1998 | 87 in service including prototypes per Wikipedia (26 A and 9 two-seat, 15 MB, 27 B and 7 two-seat); 29 more left unfinished. | ||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21F-13, PF, RFM, C, M, MF, U, US and UM | Interceptor and fighter | 1962–1990 | MiG-21 LanceR | About 260 per Wikipedia’s list: 24 F-13, 38 RFM, 12 C, 73 M, 74 MF/MF-75 and about 38 trainers, many later rebuilt as LanceRs. | ||
| Ilyushin Il-14P and Il-14M | Transport | 33 | 1955–1983 | 30 Il-14P and 3 Il-14M per Wikipedia’s list. | ||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19P and MiG-19PM | All-weather interceptor | 27 | 1958–1972 | 17 MiG-19P and 10 MiG-19PM per Wikipedia’s list. | ||
| Yakovlev Yak-23 | Fighter | 62 | 1951–1960 | MiG-15 | 62 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Ilyushin Il-10 | Ground attack | 168 | 1950–1960 | 168 per Wikipedia’s list. | ||
| Yakovlev Yak-17UTI | Jet conversion trainer | 9 | 1951–1956 | Nine per Wikipedia’s list. | ||
| IAR 80 and IAR 81 | Fighter and dive bomber | 1941–1949 | About 450–500.
MoreThe official history says about 500 were built by the end of the war; Wikipedia gives 450, and its Royal Romanian Air Force article lists 250 IAR 80/80A/80B/80C and 200 IAR 81/81C. |
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| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F and MiG-17PF | Fighter | 24 | 1955– | 12 of each variant per Wikipedia’s list. | ||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, MiG-15bis, S-103, MiG-15UTI and CS-102 | Fighter and trainer | 514 | 1952– | About 514: 159 MiG-15, 50 MiG-15bis, 204 Czechoslovak-built S-103, 59 MiG-15UTI and 42 CS-102 per Wikipedia’s list. The main article says 88 MiG-15s arrived in 1952. | ||
| Tupolev Tu-2 | Medium bomber | 6 | 1950– | Six per Wikipedia’s list. | ||
| Boeing 707-3K1C | VIP transport | 2 | 1974– | Two per Wikipedia’s list. | ||
| Mil Mi-4 | Transport helicopter | 10 | 1956– | Ten per Wikipedia’s list. | ||
| Messerschmitt Bf 109E and IAR-built Bf 109G | Fighter | 1940– | At least 144: 20 Bf 109E bought before the war (official history) and 124 Bf 109G assembled or built at Brașov (62 Ga-6, 49 Ga-2, 13 Ga-4, per Wikipedia).
MoreGerman-supplied Bf 109Gs are not counted here. |
|||
| Hawker Hurricane Mk I | Fighter | 12 | 1939– | 12 per the official history. | ||
| Bristol Blenheim | Bomber and reconnaissance | 37 | 1939– | 40 ordered and 37 delivered per the official history. | ||
| Heinkel He 112 | Fighter | 30 | 1939– | 30 per the official history. | ||
| Potez 63 | Light bomber | 20 | 1939– | 20 per the official history. | ||
| Bloch MB.210 | Bomber | 10 | 1938– | Ten per the official history. | ||
| PZL P.11f and P.24E | Fighter | 120 | 95 P.11f and 25 P.24E per Wikipedia. | |||
| Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 and IAR-built JRS-79B | Medium bomber | 67 | 67 JRS-79B and JRS-79B1 built in Romania per Wikipedia (36 and 31). | |||
| Potez 25 | Reconnaissance and training | 217 | 217 per Wikipedia. | |||
| IAR 37, IAR 38 and IAR 39 | Reconnaissance and light bomber | 380 | 50 IAR 37, 75 IAR 38 and 255 IAR 39 per Wikipedia. | |||
| Fleet 10G | Primary trainer | 415 | 415 per Wikipedia. | |||
| Fieseler Fi 156 Storch | Liaison | 46 | 46 per Wikipedia. | |||
| Farman III, Blériot and Bristol-Coandă | First military aircraft | 1912– | Numbers not stated in the official account. |
Where the Romanian Air Force flies from
Black pins are active bases, hollow pins the ones that have closed. Romania replaced its regiments with air bases on 1 June 1995; Ianca, Deveselu and Craiova closed as air bases between 2001 and 2004, and Deveselu is now the site of the US Aegis Ashore missile defence installation. Timișoara survives as a helicopter annex of the 71st Air Base. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
| Base | ICAO | Status | Runway | Units and aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacău95thBacău County | LRBC | Active |
|
|
| BobocAurel Vlaicu flying schoolBuzău County | Active |
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| Câmpia Turzii71stCluj County | LRCT | Active |
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| Fetești86thCălărași County | LRFT | Active |
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| Mihail Kogălniceanu57thConstanța County | LRCK | Active | 18/363,500 mconcrete (rigid pavement, pcn 62/r) |
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| Otopeni90th Airlift BaseIlfov County | LROP | Active |
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| Timișoaraannex of the 71st; former 93rdTimiș County | LRTR | Active |
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| Craiovaformer 67th Fighter-Bomber RegimentDolj County | LRCV | Closed 2004 | 08/262,500 mflexible pavement (pcn 46 f) |
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| Deveseluformer 91st Fighter Aviation RegimentOlt County | Closed 2003 |
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| Iancaformer 49thBrăila County | Closed 2001 |
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No air base matches that search.
Who is stationed where in the Romanian Air Force
Flying units by base, current units first. Most Romanian squadrons take three-digit numbers from their base — the 901st to 903rd at the 90th Airlift Base, the 951st and 952nd at the 95th — while the F-16 squadrons revived the old numbers 53 and 48. Where a squadron number rests on Wikipedia alone, the entry says so.
- 53rd Fighter Squadron (Escadrila 53 Vânătoare)Warhawks · Fighter squadron · active
- F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon (MLU)
- European F-16 Training Centre (EFTC) squadronImpalers · International F-16 training squadron · active
- F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon (ex-Netherlands)
- 86th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Regimentul 86 Aviație Vânătoare)1952–1995
- MiG-15, MiG-17PF, MiG-19, MiG-21
- 861st Combat Aviation Squadron (86th Air Base, MiG-21 LanceR)1998–2023
- MiG-21 LanceR
- Grupul 5 Vânătoare (5th Fighter Group)1944–1945
- Bf 109E, IAR 80
- 48th Fighter Squadron (Escadrila 48 Vânătoare)Fighter squadron · active
- F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon (ex-Norway)
- 571st Fighter Squadron (57th Air Base)Fighter squadron · active
- F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon
- 713th Helicopter SquadronCombat helicopter squadron · active
- IAR 330 SOCAT Puma
- US Air Force and Royal Netherlands Air Force MQ-9 detachmentsAllied remotely piloted aircraft detachments · active
- MQ-9A Reaper
- 167th Assault Aviation Regiment1952–
- Ilyushin Il-10
- 572nd Helicopter Squadron (“Squadron 572 Helicopters”)Helicopter squadron · active
- IAR 330L Puma
- NATO enhanced air policing detachmentsAllied fighter detachments · active
- Eurofighter Typhoon, F/A-18 Hornet
- US Army Garrison Black SeaUS Army installation command · active
- 57th Fighter Aviation Regiment (from the 14th Fighter Aviation Regiment)1951–1995
- Yak-17, Yak-23, MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-21, MiG-23MF, MiG-29
- 57th Air Base MiG-29 and MiG-23 squadrons1995–2004
- MiG-29, MiG-23MF, MiG-21 LanceR (from 2003)
- 863rd Helicopter Squadron
- IAR-330H Puma, IAR-316B Alouette III
- 901st Strategic Airlift SquadronAirlift squadron · active
- C-130B/H Hercules
- 902nd Airlift and Aerophotogrammetry SquadronAirlift and survey squadron · active
- C-27J Spartan, An-26, An-30
- 903rd Transport Helicopter SquadronTransport helicopter squadron · active
- IAR 330L/M Puma
- 99th Transport Aviation Regiment (from the 8th and 108th)1949–1990
- Li-2, Il-14, Il-18, An-24, An-26
- 951st Advanced Air Training SquadronAdvanced jet training squadron · active
- IAR 99 Șoim
- 952nd Combat Helicopter SquadronCombat helicopter squadron · active
- IAR 330 SOCAT Puma
- 95th Fighter-Bomber Base MiG-21 units1969–
- MiG-21 (including the LanceR upgrade)
- 1st Aviation Training SquadronElementary flying and helicopter training · active
- Yak-52, IAR 316B Alouette III
- 2nd Aviation Training SquadronBasic jet training · active
- IAR 99 Standard
- 712th Helicopter SquadronTransport and medical evacuation helicopter squadron · active
- IAR 330L/M Puma
- 93rd Fighter Aviation Regiment / 93rd Air Base1953–2004
- MiG-15, MiG-21F-13, MiG-23
No unit matches that search.
Romanian Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
1 April: the military flying school opens at Cotroceni, Bucharest, under a royal decree of 27 March; in the autumn the Bristol-Coandă is tested.
1 April: the first law organising military aeronautics. 24 July: first reconnaissance flight of the Second Balkan War, per the Romanian-language Wikipedia.
August: Romania enters the First World War; by 1918 its airmen fly 8,160 hours and 560 air combats and lose 28 aircrew.
1 January: aviation becomes an independent arm of the armed forces.
22 June: 621 aircraft, 253 of them in the Combat Air Group, join the attack on the Soviet Union; the IAR 80 is in service.
1 August: IAR 80s meet the American B-24s of the Ploiești raid.
23 August: Romania changes sides; Romanian fighters engage German aircraft over Bucharest within days.
12 May: the campaign in Czechoslovakia ends; 4,981 sorties and 65 aircraft lost since December 1944.
15 February: an Aviation Command on the Soviet model; from 1 April 1950 the service is Forțele Aeriene Militare.
First jets: the Yak-17UTI and Yak-23; MiG-15s follow from 1952.
February: the first MiG-21s arrive.
31 October: the IAR-93 prototype flies at Bacău, the same day as the Yugoslav Orao.
December: MiG-29s enter service in the month the Ceaușescu regime falls.
22 August: first flight of the MiG-21 LanceR upgrade; 1 June: the regimental system is replaced by air bases.
2 April: Romania’s flag is raised at NATO headquarters.
September: the first six ex-Portuguese F-16s enter service at Fetești.
2 March: a MiG-21 LanceR and the IAR 330 sent to search for it are lost near the Black Sea coast, eight airmen killed. 4 November: 32 F-16s bought from Norway.
15 May: the MiG-21 LanceR is retired. 13 November: the European F-16 Training Centre opens at the 86th Air Base.
19 April: first F-16s at Câmpia Turzii. 21 November: contract for 32 F-35As.
3 November: 18 Dutch F-16s bought for one euro, taking the F-16 total to 67.
19 May: a Romanian F-16 on NATO air policing downs a drone over Estonia. 24–26 July: F-16s down three drones over Romania. 20 August: an F-16 hits a maritime drone with its cannon.
Every war the Romanian Air Force has fought
Sorties and losses where the record gives them, and an honest blank where it does not.
- Second Balkan War 1913 Reconnaissance for the army advancing into Bulgaria
- First World War 1916–1918 Reconnaissance, artillery spotting, bombing and fighter defence alongside French and Russian units
- Second World War on the Eastern Front 1941–1944 Fought alongside the Luftwaffe against the Soviet Union: fighter cover, bombing, reconnaissance and close support
- Air defence of Ploiești and Bucharest 1943–1944 Intercepted American and British bombers attacking the oil refineries and the capital
- Second World War against Germany and Hungary 1944–1945 Fought German and Hungarian forces with the Soviet air forces after Romania changed sides
Romanian Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Romanian Air Force and the aircraft it flies. This list refreshes itself — new Afterburner stories appear here automatically.
Everything people ask about the Romanian Air Force
What is the Romanian Air Force called in Romanian?
What fighter jets does the Romanian Air Force fly?
Is Romania buying the F-35?
What is the European F-16 Training Centre?
Has the Romanian Air Force shot down drones?
What was the IAR-93?
What was the IAR 80?
Why did Romania change sides in 1944?
When did Romania retire the MiG-21?
Who commands the Romanian Air Force?
Read the aircraft the Romanian Air Force flew
Every type with a page in the Book of Beasts, in service first, then by the year it left the fleet.
Every fact, checked
- Forțele Aeriene Române: official websiteOfficial name; units, equipment and press releases.
- RoAF: Șeful Statului Major al Forțelor AerieneLt. Gen. Leonard-Gabriel Baraboi, appointed 23 May 2024; born Iași 1974; career.
- RoAF: IstoricIndex of the official history pages.
- RoAF: AeronaveTypes in service: F-16, C-27J, C-130, An-30, An-26, Iak-52, IAR 99, IAR 316B, IAR 330 and SOCAT.
- RoAF: UnitățiAir bases 57, 71, 86, 90, 95, training base, Academy, SAM brigade, Patriot regiment, SAR brigade.
- RoAF: Sistemul PATRIOTPatriot system in air force service.
- RoAF: Prima școală militară de pilotaj (1912)Decree of 27 March 1912; school opened 1 April 1912 at Cotroceni; Farman III and Blériot; Bristol-Coandă.
- RoAF: Aeronautica militară română în timpul Primului Război MondialPre-war preparation and first aviation engineers.
- RoAF: Bilanțul aeronauticii militare române în Primul Război Mondial8,160 hours, 560 air combats, 62 t bombs, 6,981 photos, 28 aircrew killed, 11 aircraft downed by AA.
- RoAF: Aeronautica militară română în perioada interbelicăAir secretariat 5 May 1932; imports: 20 Potez 63, 10 Bloch 210, 37 Blenheim, 12 Hurricane, 20 Bf 109E, 30 He 112.
- RoAF: Avionul de vânătoare IAR-80Grossu and Coșereanu; about 500 built; 510 km/h; in service September 1940.
- RoAF: Bătălia aeriană în cadrul operației Barbarossa (22 iunie–31 decembrie 1941)50 squadrons, 621 aircraft; Combat Air Group 253 aircraft, 205 serviceable, 208 crews.
- RoAF: Activitatea forțelor aeriene în zona Stalingrad și Cotul Donului26 squadrons at end of September 1942.
- RoAF: Acțiunile FARR în Ungaria (8 octombrie–20 decembrie 1944)15 squadrons, 174 aircraft; 612 missions, 805 sorties; 11 personnel and 13 aircraft lost.
- RoAF: Acțiunile FARR în Cehoslovacia (21 decembrie 1944–12 mai 1945)2,578 missions, 4,981 sorties, 946 t bombs, 2 air victories; 65 aircraft and 39 killed.
- RoAF: Apărarea spațiului aerian al României în perioada postbelică (1945–1990)Armistice of 12 September 1944; 3 December 1944 dismantling of 38 squadrons.
- RoAF: Forțele Aeriene în contextul aderării României la NATOFlag raised at NATO HQ on 2 April 2004.
- RoAF: Misiunea Baltica 07Four MiG-21 LanceR at Šiauliai, second half of 2007; at least eight flights a week.
- RoAF: Baltica 2023Four F-16s and 100 personnel; Ämari and Šiauliai.
- RoAF: 2025 – misiunea de poliție aeriană întărită în țările balticeFour-month F-16 rotation under CAOC Uedem.
- RoAF: Mali 2019–2020120 personnel, four IAR-330 L-RM; 380 missions, 17 MEDEVAC, about 1,250 hours.
- RoAF: Misiunea KAIA 2006Lead nation at Kabul International Airport from April 2006 for four months.
- RoAF: EUFOR ALTHEA 2025Dacian Pumas, four IAR-330 from January 2025; 2005 detachments over 600 missions and 1,200 hours.
- RoAF: Baza 86 AerianăFormed 1952 as Regiment 206; MiG types; LanceR from 1998.
- RoAF: Baza 71 AerianăLanceR from 2001, retired 15 May 2023; first three F-16s 19 April 2024.
- RoAF: Baza 57 Aeriană Mihail KogălniceanuFormed 1 April 1951; MiG-23MF from 1979; MiG-29 from 1989; named after Constantin Cantacuzino on 14 June 2024.
- RoAF: Baza 90 Transport AerianOtopeni; C-130H, C-27J from 2010, An-30, An-26; two C-130H2 in 2023.
- RoAF: Baza 95 AerianăBacău; IAR 99 Șoim from February 2012; SOCAT from July 2010; named after Alexandru Șerbănescu.
- MApN: Procedura de atribuire a contractului pentru achiziția a 32 avioane F-16 din Norvegia a fost finalizată (4 November 2022)32 F-16 M6.5.2 for 388 million euros; first deliveries end 2023; 17 F-16 M5.2R already in service.
- MApN: Misiune în premieră a detașamentului Carpathian Vipers (19 May 2026)Six F-16s, about 100 personnel at Šiauliai; drone destroyed over Estonia with an air-to-air missile on CAOC Uedem’s order.
- MApN: Informație de presă (24 July 2026)F-16 of the 86th Air Base downs a drone near Padina, Buzău, at 11:02; Italian Eurofighters also scrambled.
- MApN: Informație de presă (25 July 2026)Second drone brought down near the border by F-16s on air policing.
- MApN: Informație de presă (26 July 2026)F-16 downs a drone at 10:13, 12 km NE of Sulina.
- MApN: Informație de presă (27 July 2026)Two F-16s from Fetești scrambled for a drone east of Sulina that left for Ukraine.
- MApN: promovare excepțională a zece militari (29 July 2026)Minister Radu Miruță promotes ten airmen for missions in Lithuania and Romania; visit to the 86th Air Base.
- MApN: vizită la Mediaș (10 August 2026)Minister Radu Miruță with General Gheorghiță Vlad.
- MApN: Informație de presă (20 August 2026, no. 250)Drone crashes near Grindu, Tulcea; Spanish F/A-18s scrambled; IAR-330 SOCAT reconnaissance.
- MApN: Informație de presă (20 August 2026)Two F-16s engage a small maritime drone about 80 nm east of Constanța near Neptun Alpha; cannon.
- MApN: Informație de presă – update (20 August 2026)Single drone hit by F-16 cannon; neutralised by navy EOD; carried explosives.
- MApN: Update – Informație de presă (29 September 2026)Drone crater at Gropeni, Brăila; IAR-330 SOCAT reconnaissance.
- Regjeringen (Norwegian government): Norway has signed a contract for the sale of F-16s to Romania (4 November 2022)32 F-16s, 388 million euros; M6.5.2 configuration; Kongsberg.
- Lockheed Martin F35.com: Romania Joins F-35 Lightning II Program (21 November 2024)32 F-35As; 20th F-35 nation.
- Lockheed Martin F35.com: RomaniaCountry page.
- DefenseRomania: 18 avioane F-16 pentru un euro – România a semnat contractul (3 November 2025)18 Dutch F-16s for one euro; total 67 (17 Portugal, 32 Norway, 18 Netherlands); minister Ionuț Moșteanu.
- DefenseRomania: România a aprobat planul de achiziție al F-35 (11 April 2023)CSAT approval; first F-35 squadron after 2030.
- Aviatia Magazin: Inaugurarea Centrului European de Instruire F-16 de la Baza 86 (November 2023)Opened 13 November 2023; five Dutch F-16s initially, 12 planned; Draken International, GFD, Lockheed Martin.
- Europa Liberă România: F-16s from Norway at Câmpia Turzii and Mihail Kogălniceanu (22 May 2025)First sixteen Norwegian F-16s form the Câmpia Turzii squadron; the 571st Squadron of the 57th Air Base is worked up here before moving to the coast.
- Romanian Air Force: Baza Aeriană de Instruire și Formare a Personalului AeronauticFlying school from Cotroceni 1912; Aurel Vlaicu school 4 September 1953; Boboc 1956; current structure since 1 May 2018.
- Romanian Air Force: Comandantul Bazei 86 AerianăBase commander profile.
- Romanian Air Force: Comandantul Bazei 57 Aeriene Mihail KogălniceanuBase commander profile.
- Romanian Air Force: F-16 Fighting FalconTwelve F-16 MLU 5.2R under Peace Carpathian: 6 on 29 September 2016, 3 on 15 December 2016, 3 on 28 September 2017.
- Romanian Air Force: Informație de presă (24 July 2026)F-16 from the 86th Air Base shot down a drone over Padina, Buzău County; Italian Eurofighters from the 57th Air Base scrambled.
- Romanian Air Force: training flights notice, 28 September – 5 October 2026Romanian, Spanish and US aircraft at the 57th Air Base.
- Romanian Air Force: Transport și cercetare (aircraft)C-27J, C-130, An-30, An-26.
- Romanian Air Force: Școală (training aircraft)Yak-52 and IAR 99 Șoim.
- Romanian Air Force: Elicoptere (helicopters)IAR 316B, IAR 330 Puma, IAR 330 Puma SOCAT.
- Romanian Air Force: Detașamentul Căutare-Salvare prin LuptăCombat search and rescue detachment; no base given.
- Romanian Ministry of National Defence: The first five aircraft of the European F-16 Training Center landed in Fetești (7 November 2023)Dutch F-16s; Lockheed Martin instructors and maintenance.
- Romanian Ministry of National Defence: The Romanian and Spanish Defence Ministers visited Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base (16 September 2026)Ministerial visit to the Spanish detachment.
- Aeroportul Internațional Mihail Kogălniceanu Constanța: AirportRunway 3,500 m x 45 m, PCN 62/R/A/W/T; ICAO LRCK, IATA CND.
- Aeroportul Internațional Craiova: Date tehniceARP 441905N 0235319E; runway 08/26, 2,500 m x 45 m, PCN 46 F/C/W/T.
- US Army Garrison Black SeaUS Army garrison at Mihail Kogălniceanu; tenant units.
- Aviația Magazin: MiG-urile 21 revin pe baza de la Borcea (31 May 2022)861st Squadron at Mihail Kogălniceanu from spring 2013 until May 2022.
- Aviația Magazin: Zbor lin, Patrax! (7 July 2018)Ministry statement on the death of Florin Rotaru, 861st Squadron.
- Aviația Magazin: România a primit ultimul avion F-16 comandat din Portugalia (25 March 2021)2019 contract for five; 17 F-16AM/BM with the 53rd Squadron.
- Aviația Magazin: A doua escadrilă de F-16 a României execută misiuni de Poliție Aeriană (27 October 2025)Escadrila 53 at Fetești; most 48th Squadron pilots converted at the centre.
- Aviația Magazin: Marea Britanie trimite avioane Eurofighter Typhoon în România (19 March 2026)No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron to Borcea for four months, Operation Biloxi 2026.
- Netherlands Ministry of Defence: Versterking oostflank NAVO-gebiedDutch drones operational in Romania since 4 April 2024; extended in February 2026 to the end of September 2026.
- Netherlands Ministry of Defence: Nederlandse MQ-9 Reapers vliegen nog een jaar boven oostflank NAVO (21 February 2025)Two Reapers at Câmpia Turzii extended to 31 March 2026; about 35 personnel at the base, about 120 in total.
- Overt Defense: MQ-9 Reaper crashes in Romania (14 July 2022)USAFE statement naming the 31st Expeditionary Operations Group, Detachment 1 in Câmpia Turzii; crash about 3 km south of the base.
- USAFE: MQ-9 begins flying missions from Romania (2nd Lt. Bethany Karlberg, 2021)25th Attack Group remote-split operations from Romania from 1 February 2021 under the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing; does not name the base.
- GOV.UK: UK’s NATO Southern Air Policing mission to begin in May (27 March 2017)Four Typhoons of 3 (Fighter) Squadron; Fallon quote.
- US Army Garrison Black Sea: HistoryUS use since 1999; $48 million by 2009; USAG Black Sea established 15 June 2024.
- OurAirports airport database (public domain)
Figures verified 2026-09-29. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.
Photographs: Photo: Footage courtesy of NATO’s Allied Air Command / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brooke Keisler / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Steve Lynes from Sandshurst, United Kingdom / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: Igor Dvurekov / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Colin Cooke Photo / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Jim van de Burgt from Wijk bij Duurstede, Netherlands / Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · Photo: Cătălin Cocîrlă / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Bernardo Fernandez copado / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo (MiG-21 LanceR shown): Bernardo Fernandez copado / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: TSGT RUSS POLLANEN / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Radu Aramă / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo (Il-28 in other markings shown): Peer.Gynt / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Rob Schleiffert from Holland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Pedro Aragão / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: David Holt / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Royal Air Force Blenheim. Roland Turner from Birmingham, Great Britain / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo (Polish PZL P.11c shown): Alan Wilson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Wuzur / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Realitatea Ilustrată magazine / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)