(C) NATO This story was originally published by NATO and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Royal Air Force Typhoons ready for NATO enhanced Air Policing over Romania [1] [] Date: 2024-04 MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania – Six Royal Air Force Typhoons and a detachment of well over 200 support personnel were declared ready to fly NATO enhanced Air Policing missions out of the Romanian Air Base near Constanța. As we celebrate 75 year of our Alliance, it is important that the RAF is here integrating with our Romanian colleagues in the Air Policing role In a Romania-hosted ceremony with international attendance on April 9, Royal Air Force 140 Expeditionary Air Wing received the mission ready certificate from Brigadier General Paulo Costa, Director of the Air Operations Centre at NATO’s Southern Combined Air Operation Centre at Torrejón, Spain. For the coming four months the RAF jets will support NATO’s enhanced Air Policing. This is the fifth time, the United Kingdom provides jets for the mission that is flown out of Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base on the Black Sea. A Romanian F-16 and a Royal Air Force Typhoon conducted a mixed overflight of the ceremony at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base on April 9, 2024. Photo by Alexandru Aioanei. Brigadier General Paulo Costa from NATO’s Combined Air Operation Centre Torrejón hands over the mission-ready certificate to the RAF Typhoon Detachment Commander, Wing Commander Karl Bird. Photo by Alexandru Aioanei. General Gheorghiță Vlad, Chief of Romanian Defence Staff, during his speech marking the certification of the Royal Air Force Typhoon detachment for enhanced Air Policing over Romania. Photo by Alexandru Aioanei. Six Royal Air Force Typhoons and a detachment of well over 200 support personnel were declared ready to fly NATO enhanced Air Policing missions out of the Romanian Air Base near Constanța. Photo courtesy Romanian Air Force. “My warmest gratitude and appreciation to both countries Romania and the United Kingdom for their generous contribution and selfless commitment to making the skies of Europe safer and secure,” said General Costa. “The same gratitude goes to the Romanian Air Force and the Royal Air Force for the extensive work you have done together to make possible NATO’s enhanced Air Policing mission to happen from this air base over the next 4 months,” he added underlining that the ceremony has to be seen against the background of NATO’s 75th anniversary and the relevance of this united Alliance of freedom promoting and strengthening peace and stability across the Euro-Atlantic area. “The RAF arrived here with an expeditionary air wing supporting six Typhoon fighter jets in their operational NATO tasking,” said Wing Commander Karl Bird, Commanding Officer of 140 Expeditionary Air Wing. “Romania is a key ally of NATO and as we celebrate 75 year of our Alliance, it is important that the RAF is here integrating with our Romanian colleagues in the Air Policing role. The missions contribute to the development of the reaction and deterrence capacity and is a strong sign of the Alliance’s cohesion. Ensuring NATO is ready to secure the skies 24/7 and respond to current security challenges,” he added. Enhanced Air Policing is part of NATO’s Assurance Measures introduced in 2014, after Russia’s illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula. The Alliance implemented these Assurance Measures to demonstrate the collective resolve of Allies, demonstrate the defensive nature of NATO and deter Russia from aggression or the threat of aggression. Allies have deployed an additional fighter interceptor capability temporarily over Romania and Bulgaria. In Romania, Allied fighter detachments have been stationed at Romanian air bases in Mihail Kogalniceanu, Borcea and Campia Turzii flying alongside the Romanian Air Force safeguarding the airspace along the Black Sea coast. NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS) in Romania is complemented by a French surface-based air and missile defence system operating out of Capu Midia. This posture continues to showcase the integration and cohesion of Allied contributions to NATINAMDS preserving territorial integrity and promoting peace and security for the members of the Alliance. They are flexible and scalable in response to changes in the security situation facing the Alliance and send a strong, unambiguous message to the public. Deployments under enhanced Air Policing are planned in advance and rotate among NATO Allies, they ensure collective deterrence and defence protecting and securing the integrity of NATO’s airspace. [END] --- [1] Url: https://shape.nato.int/news-archive/2024/royal-air-force-typhoons-ready-for-nato-enhanced-air-policing-over-romania.aspx Published and (C) by NATO Content appears here under this condition or license: in acordance with "Requirements for the external use of NATO content.". via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/nato/