Romania has begun flying a second F-16 squadron in NATO’s air policing mission, expanding its role in securing the Alliance’s eastern flank, according to Allied Air Command.
The 48th Fighter Squadron, based at the 71st “General Emanoil Ionescu” Air Base in Câmpia Turzii, launched its first NATO-led sorties on 20 October 2025.
The missions aim to preserve the integrity of Romanian airspace and reinforce the collective defence of NATO’s southeastern frontier amid continued regional instability.
NATO described the squadron’s certification as a major step in strengthening the Alliance’s integrated air and missile defence network. It marks Romania’s second operational F-16 unit and reflects the growing interoperability of the Romanian Air Force, which now fields a fleet fully compatible with NATO standards.
The 48th Squadron joins the 53rd Fighter Squadron, stationed at Fetești Air Base, and a German Air Force detachment from Tactical Air Wing 71 “Richthofen,” which is currently operating five Eurofighter Typhoons out of Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base.
Together, the three units form a key element of NATO’s 24/7 air policing mission, which monitors and responds to potential airspace incursions across Allied territory.
Image VictorCozmei, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
