RAMSTEIN, Germany – General Jeff Harrigian, Commander Allied Air Command visited the Romanian Air Force air operations centre and Allied fighter detachments deployed in country to support NATO's enhanced posture along the eastern flank on May 25.
Romanian fighter aircraft alongside British, Canadian, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and American jets have done an outstanding job securing Allied skies and demonstrate Allied cohesion, commitment, and readiness in an impressive way
"Besides the CRC's essential contribution to ensuring our awareness of the Black Sea coastline, Romania has been hosting Allied enhanced Air Policing fighter detachments since 2014. Since then, Romanian fighter aircraft alongside British, Canadian, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and American jets have done an outstanding job securing Allied skies and demonstrate Allied cohesion, commitment, and readiness in an impressive way," said General Harrigian, during a visit of the Romanian Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) Crystal at Bucharest
General Jeff Harrigian receives an introduction to the cockpit of an Italian EF-2000A by the Italian Detachment Commander. Photo courtesy: Italian Air Force.
General Jeff Harrigian (centre) meets with Italian crew members at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base. Photo courtesy: Italian Air Force.
After his visit to the CRC, General Harrigian met with Allied fighter detachments from the United Kingdom, the United States and Italy deployed in support of NATO enhanced Air Policing and enhanced Vigilance Activities at the Romanian bases of Borcea and Mihail Kogalniceanu. He also thanked the Romanian Air Force for the continued host nation support bedding down the fighter detachments in addition to their own flight operations.
The Romanian Chief of Defense stated that NATO Air Policing remains an essential component of Allied security. "Air Policing has represented, for more than six decades, a peacetime collective defensive mission. After the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014, enhanced Air Policing on the Eastern area of Alliance represented a part of NATO's Assurance Measures in order to have a firm deter and defense posture. Ever since the Russian Federation started the war in Ukraine, these combat missions and enhanced Vigilance Activities on the Eastern flank have become a necessity," said General Daniel Petrescu.