A Romanian Air Force F-16AM Fighting Falcon fighter lost two of its external fuel tanks and a pylon during a training flight. The fighter was performing a ground attack exercise at Mălina's range in the east of the country. No one was injured in the incident.

In a statement, the Romanian Air Force said that, according to the first information reported by the pilot, there was an uncontrolled detachment of the external fuel tank as well as a pylon. “triple hook” on the right side of the aircraft as the fighter launched a training bomb. The tank and pylon landed in the air-to-ground area of ​​the stand. 

“The incident did not endanger the life of the pilot or other persons, nor the integrity of the aircraft or other property and assets in the ground,” the Air Force reported. The F-16 pilot managed to land safely. The Air Force Chief of Staff appointed a commission to investigate the incident.

The F-16 can use three types of external tanks, with a capacity of 1135 (300 gallons), 1400 (370 gallons) and 2271 liters (600 gallons). Tanks can be jettisoned in case of need, such as air combat or some kind of breakdown. Some countries, such as Israel, Poland and the United Arab Emirates, use conformal fuel tanks installed in the fuselage, reducing aerodynamic drag and freeing up hard spots on the wings.

The triple hook pylon mentioned by the Romanian Air Force may be the Triple Ejector Rack (TER), a hanger that allows the loading of three munitions, such as bombs or AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles, at the same time. 

According to the portal aerotime hub, the F-16AM involved in the incident belongs to the 53rd Fighter Squadron, based at the 86th Air Base, in Borcea, in eastern Romania. The country purchased two batches of used F-16AM/BM Block 15 MLU fighter jets from Portuguese Air Force. Deliveries began in 2019, with the last of the 17 aircraft delivered in March 2021, completing the 53rd Squadron.