A Romanian air force F-16 fighter jet flies over Bucharest, May 13, 2024. The U.S. recently approved a $180 million missile sale to Romania, as the country works to meet NATO's 2% defense spending target. (Jaccob Hearn/U.S. Air Force)
The United States has approved the sale of advanced aircraft missiles to NATO members Romania and Norway, military and State Department officials said this week.
The $180 million purchase by Romania comes as the country remains on track this year to meet the alliance’s spending benchmark by outlaying 2% of gross domestic product on defense.
The AIM-120 medium-range missiles are compatible with the Romanian air force’s F-16 aircraft and other U.S. and NATO aircraft, including the F-35, the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest said Thursday in a statement.
“This acquisition demonstrates the Romanian government’s strong commitment to security and defense,” U.S. Ambassador to Romania Kathleen Kavalec said in the statement.
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine has heightened security concerns in Europe, especially along NATO’s eastern flank.
Romania, which shares a border with Ukraine, is modernizing its military to meet ongoing and future threats. It’s also carrying out a major upgrade of its Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, where U.S. forces are regularly deployed.
Thursday’s announcement came after the U.S. in May agreed to sell $70 million worth of AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II short-range missiles to Romania.
Purchases this year have pushed Bucharest’s defense spending to 2.25% of its GDP, according to NATO estimates published in June, which showed a record 23 members out of 32 were meeting the spending target. When the pledge to reach 2% of GDP in the next decade was made in 2014, only three nations were reaching that benchmark.
Norway, which is meeting the target for the first time, according to NATO’s estimates, also got approval from the U.S. on Thursday to buy aircraft missiles for an estimated $450 million.
The proposed sale includes 100 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles-Extended Range and related equipment, the Defense Department said in a statement.
An F-35 Lightning II launches an AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missile over a test range off the California coast in 2013. The United States approved the sale of AIM-120 missiles to Romania and Norway as both nations work to meet NATO's 2% defense spending target. (Paul Weatherman/U.S. Navy)
