The US air force announced today that an unspecified number of F-16C Viper
Fighter jets have deployed to Romania from their base in Germany. The United
States army has also disclosed that it sent a contingent of avengers
short-range air defense systems to that country earlier this week.
This is all part of a broader effort to bolster nato's forced posture along
its eastern flank in order to reassure members of the alliance of which
Romania has won and deter Russia.
This comes as american officials among others are becoming increasingly
apprehensive about the possibility of the Kremlin kicking off a new
large-scale military operation against Ukraine in the coming days.
According to u.s air forces in europ,e the F-16C from the 52nd fighter wing
based at spangdulem air base in Germany left for fiteste air base in Romania
earlier today.
The air force released a number of pictures of the vipers departing
spanglem. interestingly, they show one of the fighters armed with live
AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, as seen at the top of
this story, while others are seen carrying inert aim 120, as well as AIM 9X
sidewinder missiles more typically carried during exercises.
Having the inert missiles available will be useful for conducting training
sorties alongside Romanian F-16 and other nato aircraft while flying from
fitasti in addition to being on call in case of contingencies.
This deployment is ostensibly in support of nato's air policing mission in
the black sea region. When they arrive if they haven't already, the vipers
will join Italian eurofighter typhoons already in Romania, albeit at a
different base which have been serving in this role since december.
At the same time, the air force and nato have both made clear that these
jets are flying in specifically in response to russia's extremely worrisome
build-up of forces along its borders with ukraine, as well as in neighboring
Belarus.
The additional aircraft and crews will work closely with allies in the black
sea region to reinforce regional security during the current tensions caused
by russia's military buildup near Ukraine. The United States air forces in
europe said in its release regarding the deployment.
The aircraft will complete a range of air-to-air training maneuvers with
nato allies to strengthen interoperability and the enhanced communications
link required to execute multinational air operations.
The F-16 aircraft will significantly enhance nato's deterrence posture in
Nato's southeast region and provide additional responsiveness for the
enhanced air policing mission.
French air force lieutenant general pascal de leers, the deputy commander of
Nato's allied air command said in a statement allied air forces are standing
shoulder to shoulder to provide a robust collective defense and deliver
constant vigilance across nato airspace.
The movement of these F-16s to romania is only the latest example of a nato
member deploying combat aircraft within europe, in response to the worsening
security station surrounding Ukraine.
Just yesterday, a group of u.s air force F-15C and F-15D Eagles arrived in
poland for a similar deployment. The detachment of air force F-15E strike
eagles touched down in estonia last month to bolster the alliance's air
policing forces in the baltic sea region as well. Belgian, Polish and Danish
F-16 are also currently deployed to bases in Estonia and Lithuania.
In addition four u.s air force B-52H bombers landed in the United Kingdom
yesterday as part of a previously planned bomber task force deployment.
However, the current geopolitical situation in Europe could very well have
an impact on how those aircraft are utilized while they are in the region.
Separately, the army released pictures today showing an avenger-equipped
contingent from the 5th battalion, 4th air defense artillery regiment at
their base in germany as they prepared to travel by convoy to romania
earlier this week.
It's unclear if these personnel are among the 1000 troops that the united
states government announced would be heading to that eastern european
country last week.
At the time the pentagon only said that force would primarily consist of
elements of the army's germany-based second cavalry regiment, which is
primarily equipped with variants of the eight by eight striker-wheeled
armored vehicle.
Five fourth air defense artillery is not part of that unit. a caption
attached to one of the pictures reads, enhanced vigilance in Central and
Southeastern Europe is a strong reflection of the will, unity and cohesion
of the nato alliance by demonstrating readiness in multinational operations.
it's not clear how many army avengers have now gone to romania and the
pictures that the service has released so far show at least five of the
vehicles preparing to leave Germany on february 7th.
The humvee based avenger system consists of a turret with two launchers,
each containing four stinger short range heat seeking surface-to-air
missiles. they are also equipped with a single point five zero caliber M3P
machine gun.
Stinger is already a high capable point defense weapon against various
aerial threats and the army has been working to improve the missile's
capabilities against small drones, a target set that is of ever-growing
concern in recent years.