United Kingdom to deploy jets to Romania

RAMSTEIN, Germany – The British Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon announced Monday that Royal Air Force Typhoon fast jets will deploy to Romania from May for the UK's contribution to NATO’s enhanced Air Policing mission in the Southern Region. Four Typhoon jets from RAF Coningsby will be based at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in south east Romania for up to four months, working side-by-side with the Romanian Air Force to police the skies over the Black Sea.

NATO’s enhanced Air Policing is one element of the Alliance’s Assurance Measures introduced in 2014 in response to Russia’s illegal activities in Ukraine. The goal has been to demonstrate collective resolve of Allies and NATO’s flexible capabilities and readiness.

The Romanian Air Force flies F-16 fast jets under NATO Air Policing controlled by Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Torrejon, Spain. The British RAF Typhoons are going to augment the Romanian Air Policing assets and will conduct sorties in concert with one another.

Overseen by Allied Air Command at Ramstein, Germany, NATO Air Policing is conducted over all Allies in Europe from Northern Norway to the Azores and the eastern parts of Turkey. The mission is controlled by two CAOCs (one at Torrejon, the other at Uedem, Germany).

This important peacetime mission involves the use of the Air Surveillance and Control System (ASACS), Air Command and Control (Air C2) and appropriate air assets, so called Quick Reaction Air (Intercept) or QRA(I) fast jets. It is a fundamental component of how NATO provides security to its members.

Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office