US Air Force Set to Upgrade Base in Romania

The US Air Force is to spend 40 million US dollars by mid-2019 on refurbishing an air base in Transylvania, Romania, a US Air Forces in Europe spokesperson told BIRN. 

"The 40 million dollars in infrastructure improvements at Campia Turzii includes funding from fiscal years 2009 and 2011, FY 2015-2018 European Deterrence Initiative [formerly European Reassurance Initiative] funding, and projected FY 2019 EDI funding that has yet to be approved," Lt. Col. Davina Petermann, Public Affairs Chief of the USAFE European Deterrence Initiative Division, said. 

"These improvements demonstrate the long-term commitment of the US to Europe, while also enabling our ability to rapidly respond if a crisis in Europe occurs," she added.

The announcement comes as British Royal Air Force jets, deployed on NATO's Air Policing mission at the Mihail Kogalniceanu base in southeastern Romania, have intercepted an increasing number of Russian jets over the Black Sea recently. 

The latest incident was on August 23, when UK Typhoons intercepted a Russian Be-13 coming from Crimea. The day before, the RAF reported it had intercepted two Russian fighter jets over the Black Sea, while on August 15 it had intercepted no less than six planes. 

Russia replied last Saturday through its embassy in London, saying the British RAF moves were provoking them.

A specialized publication, Defence News, reported that the upgraded base in Romania would be able to host MQ-9 Reaper drones. However, no decision has been taken yet. 

The same publication said 25 million dollars would be spent on infrastructure that would allow mission planning and flight operations, designed to further deter Russia on NATO's eastern flank.

The Romanian Air Force's 71st Air Base, near...