Home  /  Newsroom  /  2021  /  Royal Air Force departs after successful NATO Enhanced Air Policing Mission in Romania

RAMSTEIN, Germany - The Royal Air Force detachment in Romania have concluded their NATO enhanced Air Policing Mission. Paving the way for the incoming detachment from the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The RAF's, 121 Expeditionary Air Wing has been based at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, near the Black Sea Coast in Romania to support the Romanian Air Force's own Quick Reaction Alert to conduct the mission. During the RAF deployment the Typhoons of RAF Lossiemouth based IX(B) Sqn launched nine times against suspect aircraft.

During the RAF deployment to Romania in addition to the QRA scramble 121 EAW has also trained with various other Allied and Partner forces.  This included Air Defence Exercise with NATO warships, Close Air Support with land forces and Air Combat Training with other NATO air forces. 

Typhoon fighters arrive back at RAF Lossiemouth after a successful deployment in Romania as part of the NATO enhance Air Policing mission. Photo courtesy of Royal Air Force  

RAF and German Air Force Typhoons in formation with a Romanian MiG-21 LanceR during joint scramble training. Photo courtesy of Royal Air force.  

the whole Station is proud of what they achieved, standing shoulder to shoulder with our NATO allies to help preserve security in a vitally important region

Welcoming the squadron back to Scotland, Group Captain Chris Layden the RAF Lossiemouth Station Commander said: "I'm delighted to welcome IX(B) Sqn back from their very busy and successful tour in Romania. This was their first operational deployment as a Typhoon squadron, and the whole Station is proud of what they achieved, standing shoulder to shoulder with our NATO allies to help preserve security in a vitally important region".

121 EAW was also joined by the German Air Force's 71st (Richthofen) Wing in June to further the interoperability of the two nations' Typhoon fleets. This period saw the German Eurofighters join the RAF Typhoons and Romanian MiG-21 LanceRs conduct a joint training scramble, which was the first of its kind.