Royal Air Force Typhoon jets, usually based at RAF Lossiemouth, have arrived in Romania to begin the UK’s pre-planned NATO Air Policing mission.
The Royal Air Force say here that four Typhoons from IX(B) Squadron flew into Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase on the Black Sea coast near Constanta, Romania where they will carry out the NATO enhanced Air Policing (eAP) mission for this summer’s deployment.
“The mission enhances the national Air Policing conducted by the Romanian Air Force as part of the NATO collective air defence system.”
Wing Commander Lamping, Officer Commanding 121 Expeditionary Air Wing, was quoted as saying:
“This pre-planned deployment is the latest RAF contribution to NATO Air Policing. We have returned to Romania to reassure our allies that the UK is fully committed to working alongside our NATO partners to secure the Alliance’s skies. This defensive Air Policing mission in the Black Sea region is very similar to UK Quick Reaction Alert, so the pilots and supporting personnel are experienced operators when it comes to delivering NATO Air Policing. Despite the difficult circumstances caused by COVID-19 we are well prepared and ready to deliver the mission.”
This deployment is the third time the United Kingdom has deployed on this Air Policing mission, say the RAF.
“During the deployment the RAF will be demonstrating NATO’s collective resolve and assurance for our eastern allies, as well as showing that the United Kingdom remains a leading NATO member that is committed to NATO operations.”
Just a random thought but, would it not be an Idea to Lend sell or just base some of the soon to be retired Typhoons there. I’m happy to be corrected !!!😀
Think the Rumanians are looking at F16’s if memory serves me ( that’s going fast lol ) They still run “Lancer” an uprated Mig 21 so need some serious overhaul for air defence. Always thought, like Hungary, a Gripen would be a good choice. Easy to maintain, Swedes even have conscripts turning them around really fast on road dispersal. When you read the numbers though for that part of Europe, all kinds of aircraft are thin on the ground. Unless you are Greece.
Romania has 17 used F-16s they acquired from Portugal.
I would be all for us giving some of our old F16s to the Romanians. I also think countries like the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway that are going to be replacing their F16’s with F35’s, could donate them to the Baltic countries so they can maintain their own squadrons for air policing missions. We could still support the Baltic nations by sending USAF reserve and Air National guard maintenance units on a rotating basis until they develop organic maintenance units of their own
Things appear to be taking a turn for the worse in that neck of the woods sadly.
I understand there may be as many as 120,000 ground troops stationed on the border with Ukraine at present according to a Reuters report a few days ago.
“On the same day, 15 Caspian Sea Flotilla vessels, including three artillery boats, eight landing craft, and four support vessels, were filmed by local media passing under the Kerch Bridge and then sailing west towards Sevastopol, possibly to link up with the Ropucha-class ships.”
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/update-russia-amasses-amphibious-forces-in-black-sea
Agree, mixed messages coming from Russia regarding Deployments and Exercises, have read that Ukraine has put its Forces on Alert, just have to hope the situation doesn’t boil over.
Mixed messages coming from Russia is to test our (the west) response to gauge if it’s worth the risk of taking things any further.
Hopefully, we can strike a suitable balance to show we are prepared to act but not in a confrontational way that could inadvertently escalate the situation.
Difficult times ahead for some!
Putin knows America and the West won’t do anything just like the didn’t the last time they invaded Ukraine. Sleepy Joe was VP then and now he’s in charge so Putin can do whatever he wants.
Quite possibly, hopefully, it’s only sabre-rattling and nothing more.
There’s a lot of lives at stake here after all and the last thing anybody needs right now is a long drawn out conflict between Ukraine supported by the West VS Russia.
Shades of Afghanistan/Russia springs to mind.
What I’ve read & heard suggests Russian involvement in the Donbas is already like their war in Afghanistan. But nobody really wants further conflict there. The Ukraine has suffered enough. Seems far better Biden is in control than fawning, crooked Trump, friend of Putin. I wonder how well conned the Russians are by Putins endless properganda.
Yaaawn.
Oh please this whole situation is more a result of the previous President’s conciliatory behaviour to Putin which the latter is now feeling empowered is using to test Biden knowing that the US public led by Trumps delusional foreign policy is reluctant to get involved. He has been placed between a rock and a hard place for if he does nothing he gets crucified and if he responds with anything beyond further economic sanctions will get crucified by the same Trump apparatchiks as being weak. Putin has the US administration through a naive public on a string despite the demise of the instigator, while ironically being in a position to help him or a Republican clone get elected next time around.
The only thing that will restrict Russia’s moves here will be the risk to their Nord Stream 2 project if they push matters too far and mount a full invasion for example. That I suspect will be kept as a background threat to ease his true intentions. Some sort of special forces disguised as/with Ukrainian dissidents as before with limited objectives such as to free up the canal into Crimea with the main forces acting as cover to frighten off any full scale Ukrainian (or other) military response threatening these objectives, while not initiating even those full blown European economic responses that would cripple the economy. If they get away with it then expect the same in a few years. Putin is playing us all like a fiddle and the more we whistle in the wind in response the more likely one day he truly will through over confidence overplay his hand with scary consequences. How very 1930s.
Spot on , but your wise words are wasted on fox news dan.
This ‘Whole Situation’ blew up in 2014 – was Donald Trump POTUS then ?.
These eastern block countries need to start pulling their own weight to do more to defend their own countries. Take a lesson from Sweden or Australia and take responsibility to protect your citizens.
I tend to agree, however, COVID has put a very big financial spanner in the works for most of us and a rather large black hole in our defence budget here in the UK didn’t help much either!
There’s a lot of pressure on Vlad currently, I hope it’s just a bit of muscle-flexing to distract the Russian population from what’s happening in their own Country!
How do they do that, exactly, when their economies are so small?
For many of them even 1/10 of of the UK spend on defence would break the bank.
PrecIsely so it will take decades for them to grow significantly and much of their efforts needs to convince the population that their lives are improving and western style economics is a sound investment, the last thing Europe needs is disharmony in those presently solid countries. It’s a fine balance in maintaining that while helping them build up their defences.
Really?
10 NATO countries now spending 2% of GDP on defense, report shows – UPI.com
I agree though fact is Australia is taking a massive hit to its economy presently by standing up to China precisely so that it can show the US that it is a reliable partner because it’s a total sitting duck without US defensive cover. Actually it’s a good move because it’s better to take a hit now from China and find new markets than it would be 10 years from now when it’s economy would have been crippled by so doing. Contrast that with NZ which is too scared stiff to upset China even by solidifying its 5 Eyes role which has shocked the other members.
In Eastern/Central Europe only Poland is a potential powerhouse the next is potentially Ukraine if it can get itself together and that’s why historically Poland has been crippled by Russia (with others along the way) and no doubt explains Russia’s actions in Ukraine now. Even it’s Space programme has been seriously effected by the independence of Ukraine let alone much of its armaments potential. So at the very least it needs to keep that country weak and divided.
Ehhhhh……the Eastern Nato members are all pretty much exceeding the NATO 2% of GDP number.
And….Ukraine is already the third largest armed forces in Europe by manpower (after Russia and France) and is modernising rapidly with 3% GDP spend on military….which mostly goes into land and air forces as it probably should.
Back to NATO….and Poland is also modernising and spending above NATO requirements and is also modernising at a very steady drumbeat building a highly credible land warfare capability same story Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia etc
The underspending in Europe Dan comes from those further west…Spain, Germany, Canada, Belgium.
https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_182242.htm
Should have said underspending in NATO…not Europe…I know Canada ain’t in Europe.
Being reported that as of last night the Russians are starting to pack-up and go home from Ukraine border…
https://mb.ntd.com/russian-troops-leaving-ukraine-border-crimea_602476.html
Well, I suppose they are entitled to camp out on their own doorstep. I’d check the door handles as they leave though?
Sabre rattling then, but good news none the less.
Looks like UK is going to fund into the NATO RQ4D fleet. Seems odd they did not make this deal before cancelling Sentinel. Ukraine probably showed the error of their ways. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/uk-looks-to-increase-contribution-to-nato-ags
Hi folks hope you are well.
Good to see and we are very active in our commitments.
As slight side issue related, do any of you experts have any further details of Russian troops being withdrawn from the Ukrainian boarder as mentioned in the media. Wonder why they have pulled back?
Cheers
George
Hi folks hope you are well.
Good to see and we are very active in our commitments.
As slight side issue related, do any of you experts have any further details of Russian troops being withdrawn from the Ukrainian boarder as mentioned in the media. Wonder why they have pulled back?
Cheers
George
Ps, I posted this a few days ago, but appears to be waiting for “approval” I changed my name to George in Kent as there are many George’s, people think I’m George Allison when replying.
Thanks