Romania buys US F-35 fighter jets

HSMILITARYCOM: Romania, Announces purchase of offensive weapons from the US.

Romania's ambassador to the United States Andrei Muraru announced that his country would buy a large number of offensive weapons from the United States.

He also said, making the US military in Romania permanent.

We are ready to buy the F-35s," said Romanian Ambassador to the United States Andrei Muraru, echoing comments by Romanian President Klaus Ioannis this week.

F-35s capable of carrying out patrol missions over the Black Sea, where Russian naval and air activity is increasing, are unlikely to appear anytime soon, but they will be needed to replace Romania's aging F-16 fleet.

Bucharest is currently negotiating to buy 32 second-hand F-16s, which Norway wants to get rid of now that it has its own F-35s.

Norwegian aircraft will be used as an intermediate link until Romania can accommodate orders for their own 5th generation aircraft.

Muraru also listed other elements of Romania's $10 billion expenditure such as Patriot air defense systems, HIMARS MLRS, naval attack missiles and F-16s.

He stated that when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, “It was clear from then on that credible deterrence can only be ensured through a strong presence and strong defensive capabilities.”

Such an escalation on the part of Romania is clearly not conducive to reducing tensions in the region, especially since all the weapons listed by the Romanian Ambassador to the United States Andrei Muraru could easily be used against Russia.

Russia has not yet reacted to such measures by Romania, but in the coming years the situation could clearly continue to deteriorate.