The replacement of Soviet-made MiG-21 Lancer...

Romania, a former Warsaw Pact member which joined NATO in 2004, has been seeking closer ties with its more powerful Western allies, especially the United States, to recover from the current deep economic crisis.

In February, Bucharest offered the United States to host U.S. medium-range interceptor missiles as part of revamped shield after U.S. President Barack Obama scrapped the Bush administration plans for a radar and interceptor missiles in the Czech Republic and Poland last year.

Romania"s move has irked Russia, which considers the placement of U.S. missile defenses near its borders as a threat to national security.

MOSCOW, March 25 (RIA Novosti)