A joint training program, air policing missions and a multinational exercise

NATO allied forces in Romania

România Internațional, 20.12.2023, 14:00

The
Henri Coanda Air Force Academy, based in Central Romania’s Brasov County, over December
4th and 15th, with the support of a mobile training team and part of the Inter-European Air Forces Academy, played host to the Basic Instructor
Course. The course is a form of military training placing the trainees in the
role of the instructor, through the step-by-step correction of the training
method. Taking part in the aforementioned program there were 23 trainees,
officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and professional enlisted
soldiers from the USA, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia,
Georgia and Romania.

The
administrative representative of the Inter-European Air Forces Academy,
Major Melissa Guldan, stated for the Military Journal radio show:

The mission
of the institution is to offer, through education and training, optimal inter-operability
circumstances for the military of the two continents. The course was very important
in that it contributed to the development of the inter-personal abilities, but
also to a high degree of implementation of the tactics, techniques and procedures among
militaries from various countries.

Instructors
and students alike were impressed by the Romanian food, by the tradition and
history of the Romanian people. The food is delicious, now that the Christmas
fairs are open, we had the chance to enjoy the locals’ hospitality and friendship
said a student in the Basic Instructor Ccourse, sergeant Candon Hopkins.

These
days, four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets of the German Air Force completed
their mission in Romania. Under NATO command, the German pilots, members of
the 150-strong contingent of militaries who were posted to Romania have carried
air policing missions jointly with the Romanian Air Force. Apart from the
fighter jets, at the Mihail Kogălniceanu military base, located in south-eastern
Romania’s Constanta County, the German troops also brought a high-performance drone-detection
system with a range of flight standing at more than 40 kilometers. We are prepared
to defend the Romanian air space and NATO territory said the commander of the
German contingent, lieutenant-colonel Markus Kuchenbaur.

We
stay with the Mihail Kogălniceanu military base. The command of the US troops deployed in Romania for the strengthening of the allied Eastern flank has been handed over to the one of the US army’s best-known units, the 82nd Airborne
Division. The authority transfer ceremony, from the 10th Mountain Division to
the famous US division was held last week. The rotation of the command
structure is in accordance with the US Amy resolution to maintain its presence
in south-eastern Europe for the support of the NATO allies and the partners, To
that end, here is what the commander of the 82nd Airborne Division,
Major General J. Patrick Work, said: It is an extraordinary privilege for the 82nd
Airborne Division to be here, in Romania, and in the entire eastern flank of
the Alliance. We respect the professionalism of the Romanian Army and we truly
understand Romania’s strategic perspective. The Alliance’s and Romania’s success
is our success as well.

Romania has played host to a training exercise, with the
participation of the NATO Battle Group Forward Presence military. The exercise
was held at the Training Base of the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion
in Babadag, in the east. Dacian Winter was held over December 11 and 15,
targeting the training of the battle group’s command point. Also taking part in
the exercise were soldiers of a French brigade. In command of the exercise was the
Multinational Division Southeast.

The commander of the Battle Group Forward Presence, French
colonel Patrick Guillaume, said: We cooperate with military from Belgium and
Luxembourg, as they are part of the multinational battalion. We have been
working on their integration. We work with a multinational brigade, with
Spanish, Romanian, US military. We work with a lot of nations, together, as we
are aware that together we are strong.