BUCHAREST, August 28. /TASS/. Three Norway-supplied F-16 Fighting Falcon jets have landed at the 86th airbase Captain Aviator Konstantin Cantacuzino in the commune of Mihail Kogalniceanu (the Constanta county) in Romania, the Defense Ministry said.

The aircraft were delivered under a contract between Romania and Norway for the purchase of 32 F-16 fighter jets. So far, 21 aircraft have been received, of which sixteen make up the 48th fighter squadron at the 71st air base in Campia Turzii (the Cluj County), and five will form part of the 571st squadron at the air base in the commune of Mikhail Kogalniceanu (the Constanta County). All the contracted F-16s should be delivered to Romania by the end of this year.

The Defense Ministry believes that the F-16 fighters will be operated in Romania for at least 10 years during the transition to fifth-generation aircraft.

Under a $6.5 billion program, 32 F-35 aircraft will be purchased at the first stage, and 16 more at the second stage after 2030.