The contract, which must still be approved by the US Congress, covers Bucharest’s purchase of 32 F-35A aircraft and related equipment, produced by the US aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO Ally that is an important force for political and economic stability in Europe,” a State Department statement said.

The contract announcement comes as Ukrainian pilots began training this week at a special center in Romania on F-16s, US-made fighter jets that Washington has approved Kyiv to use to repel Russia’s invasion.

Romania occupies a strategic position at the gateway to Ukraine and the Black Sea, and aims to become an international hub for F-16 training.

It inaugurated an F-16 training center at its Fetesti air base in November 2023, pledging to also train Ukrainians there.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met his Romanian counterpart Luminita Odobescu on Thursday, thanking Bucharest for delivering a Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine.

The State Department also announced the approval on Friday of a $4.1 billion sale to Japan of a KC-46A aerial refueling tanker.

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The deal will provide new cable systems and associated services to support Brussels’ future F-35 Lightning II stealth aircraft fleet.

Additional deliverables include spares, repair, and overhaul tasks for other military flight operations covered by the agreement.

Curtiss-Wright’s contract will encompass main and parallel runways across the air force’s Florennes, Kleine-Brogel, and Bevauchain bases, enabling uniformity across the sites’ configurations.

Moreover, the company will supply its proprietary ESCO SmartArrest system, a digitized version of its proven BAK-12 energy absorber, to automatically secure operations for various fighter jets.

Work will be facilitated by the firm’s Naval & Power segment, with the production of the energy absorbers in Aston, Pennsylvania, and the retractable hook cables as well as sustainment services in Merpins, France.

“As a leading global supplier of military aircraft arresting systems and support capabilities, Curtiss-Wright is proud to have the opportunity to build upon our existing relationship with the Belgian Air Force to provide new systems, aftermarket, and logistical services to support the availability and longevity of its arresting capability,” Curtiss-Wright Corporation CEO Lynn Bamford stated.

“In addition, this contract further demonstrates the growing demand for our technologies in support of our defense allies and partners in NATO.”

Future Belgian F-35 Fleet

Belgium’s incoming F-35s are part of a $6.53 billion US foreign military sale in 2018 to replace its aging F-16 Fighting Falcons.

In 2023, Lockheed Martin revealed the Belgian Air Force’s first F-35 unit in Fort Worth, Texas.

Brussels expects the delivery and full operational capability of all 34 Lightning II platforms signed under the procurement by the 2030s.

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An unveiling ceremony was held at a company facility in Texas, with Polish deputy national defense ministers Paweł Bejda and Cezary Tomczyk in attendance.

According to Lockheed, this “significant milestone” for Warsaw will further strengthen the alliance between the two NATO countries.

It will also boost the European nation’s ability to defend its borders amid the increased tensions in the region.

“I am proud to be part of history today, introducing the F-35 as the next generation, which will protect and defend Poland’s future for many years,” Polish Air Force official Major General Ireneusz Nowak said.

In 2019, Poland ordered 32 F-35 combat jets from the US in a $4.6 billion deal.

Witnessed a historic moment today on #PolishAviationDay! The first #Poland‘s F-35A Lightning II, #Husarz, was unveiled at @LockheedMartin in Fort Worth. This 5th-gen fighter will revolutionize the #PolishArmy and strengthen #NATO. Proud to be part of this milestone! pic.twitter.com/vk8bYvwsSy

— Andrzej Fafara (@AndrzejFafara) August 29, 2024

‘Powerful Force Multiplier’

A fifth-generation aircraft, the F-35A is the US Air Force’s replacement for the legacy F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt.

It features state-of-the-art sensors, tactical data links, and armaments that make it a “powerful force multiplier” for militaries worldwide.

According to Lockheed Martin official Greg Ulmer, the F-35 will be critical in ensuring that Warsaw is able to effectively deter and defeat threats to its national security.

Follow along with Poland’s first F-35 as it’s brought to life!

We’re one step closer to revealing Poland’s F-35A “Husarz”. How close? Next Wednesday, in fact. pic.twitter.com/lGND5XQMfe

— F-35 Lightning II (@thef35) August 23, 2024

Tomczyk also highlighted the important role the new warplanes will play, as Poland is the only country in the world with a common border with Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.

“In order to keep these borders as they are, we need the best equipment, the best capabilities, and the best friends,” he said. “And as my American friends often say: ‘A true friend is the one who arrives when the rest of the world walks away.’”

Once delivered, Poland will become the first F-35 operator in Eastern Europe.

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The site will house Ottawa’s future F-35A combat aircraft fleet and support North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) operations in partnership with the US military.

The 7,400-square-meter (24,278 square feet) center will incorporate hangar bays, administrative spaces, and staff quarters. Surrounding the hub is a 17,000-square-meter (55,774 square feet) protected field for additional capabilities.

Work on the facility is valued at 120 million Canadian dollars ($87.3 million) and is expected to sustain approximately 600 jobs in the region.

The construction is led by Saint-Georges firm Pomerleau Inc. and will conclude in 2027.

“For decades, NORAD has ensured the defence of North American aerospace,” Defence Minister Parliamentary Secretary Marie-France Lalonde said.

“Today, we are reaffirming our commitment to this unique binational command, and investing in new infrastructure so that Canadian Armed Forces members can effectively deploy fifth-generation fighter jets in support of NORAD’s mission.”

“Our government will continue to invest in new military infrastructure that supports the combat power of the Canadian Armed Forces.”

NORAD Modernization Plan

The Bagotville project is part of Ottawa’s broader 38.6-billion Canadian dollar ($28.1-billion) NORAD Modernization Plan announced by the government in 2022.

Construction of the center is funded by the initiative’s Defence of Canada Infrastructure Project, which oversees large infrastructure upgrades benefitting the nation’s fighter jets, NORAD alliance, and overall continental defense.

Meanwhile, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s incoming F-35As will consist of up to 88 units. The fleet was purchased from Lockheed Martin through a $14.2-billion US foreign military sale in 2023.

The Canadian defense agency noted that the Bagotville Quick Reaction Alert center will also support Operation Noble Eagle, an ongoing NORAD deployment focusing on 24/7 aerospace warning, control, and associated missions in North America.

“This investment in Bagotville will enable our personnel at the base to plan, posture, and deploy our new fleet of CF-35A fighters rapidly and effectively,” Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair said.

“Today’s milestone is a clear sign of Canada’s commitment to modernizing our NORAD infrastructure and capabilities in support of the continental defence mission.”

“In close collaboration with our American allies, our government will continue to make the necessary investments to protect North America as our continent faces new security challenges.”

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The move supports a $10-billion investment to strengthen the alliance between the US and Japanese armed forces and further maintain security in the Indo-Pacific.

According to the Pentagon, the project includes the replacement of 48 F-15C/D combat aircraft stationed at the Kadena US Air Force Base in Okinawa with 36 F-15EXs.

This shift followed a decision in 2022 to employ “newer, more advanced systems” to “uphold treaty obligations” with the Japanese government.

The agency wrote that the Joint Force will continue its rotational presence at the air base using fourth and fifth-generation fighter jets until the transition concludes.

The US Air Force will also withdraw 36 F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the Misawa Air Base and replace them with 48 F-35A Lightning IIs.

Meanwhile, the US Marine Corps will reconfigure its F-35Bs deployed in Iwakuni as part of the enhanced presence.

The service will sustain “an enduring and rotational aircraft presence” as the transition in the city moves forward.

“​The Department’s plan to station the Joint Force’s most advanced tactical aircraft in Japan demonstrates the ironclad US commitment to the defense of Japan and both countries’ shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” the US Department of Defense said in its press release.

Osprey Returns to Flight

In a separate notice, the US Air Force confirmed that it has resumed flight operations for the  CV-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft at the Yokota Air Base in Western Tokyo.

This announcement lifts the restriction caused by an incident in late November 2023, in which an Osprey crashed off the coast of Japan and killed eight US airmen.

The air force noted that the decision to pass this order was based on “a meticulous and data-driven approach” and supported by maintenance and procedural mitigation training to ensure the platform’s safe return to flight.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the safety of the men and women who operate our aircraft and the safety of our community both on base and in Japan,” Special Operations Squadron Commander Col. Matthew Davis explained.

“These safety mitigation measures have been taken seriously, and we would not fly this aircraft without full confidence in the measures, the maintenance professionals implementing them, and the skilled professionals who fly it.”

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A batch of F-35A Lightning II fighter jets will be housed at the mountain base, featuring upgraded hangars and facilities.

The northern Norwegian base is meant to act as a natural shield for the assets against possible enemy air attacks.

“The deteriorating security policy situation and the war in Ukraine mean that the Air Force must become sharper,” head of the Joint Air Operations Centre Brigadier Tron Strand said.

“Powerful stealth fighters are not enough. In a war situation, the planes are vulnerable on the ground. On the one hand we are significantly increasing air defense for Evenes and Orland Air Base – this is part of our long-term planning.”

Agile Combat Employment

The base is also primed for increased Norwegian and Allied fighter aircraft activity in the region as part of NATO’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept.

“Bardufoss Air Station plays an important role in the further development of Norwegian, Nordic and Allied Air Power,” Brigadier Strand added.

“NATO is very focused on the Nations’ ability to disperse and quickly move air forces through the development of the Agile Combat Employment or ACE concept.”  

Mountainous Protection 

Survivability is one of the principles of the ACE concept of air maneuver, which also includes agility, interoperability, continuity of air operations, and operational readiness.

Bardufoss goes well with the principle, which combines operational air bases with temporary operational bases and their physical protection.

Greater Role

Norway’s oldest operating air station was opened in 1938 and falls under the Norwegian Air Force’s 131 Air Wing.

“Bardufoss is also used as a civilian airport; is well suited to take a prominent role in the operational distribution concept,” Commander of 131 Air Wing Colonel Eirik Stueland said.

“The whole idea of dispersal of capabilities is to be able to use all available airports throughout the Nordic region; at Bardufoss, due to the existing infrastructure, we will also be able to play a larger role in an initial mobilization phase.”

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