Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, NATO has deployed additional fighter jets to the eastern part of the Alliance to safeguard the skies.
On 5 April 2022, the Italian Air Force and the UK Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons took to the skies above Otopeni, Romania alongside Romanian Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons to perform a mock interception of a Romanian C-27 Spartan transport aircraft. The jets are in Romania as part of NATO Air Policing mission, a peacetime activity designed to safeguard the skies against air traffic that does not comply with international rules and standards. They’re also flying extra air patrols in the region intended to strengthen NATO’s situational awareness and readiness to respond to crises. These patrols are defensive in nature, intended to reassure Allies and safeguard their airspace against incidents.
The US Air Force and the German Air Force have also sent jets to Romania.
Footage includes shots of UK and Italian Eurofighter Typhoons and Romanian Air Force F-16s intercepting a Romanian C-27. Also, it includes interviews with the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Detachment Commander Lieutenant Colonel William Parks and Pilot Flight Lieutenant Lewis Travers from 3 (Fighter) Squadron RAF.
Transcript
---SHOTLIST---
(00:00) WIDE SHOT – ROMANIAN C-27 SPARTAN CARGO DOOR OPENING IN THE AIR
(00:04) VARIOUS SHOTS – ROMANIAN C-27 FLYING ABOVE ROMANIA
(00:17) VARIOUS SHOTS – UK EUROFIGHTER TYPHOONS INTERCEPTING ROMANIAN C-27
(00:42) VARIOUS SHOTS – ITALIAN EUROFIGHTER TYPHOONS JOINING THE INTERCEPTION OF ROMANIAN C-27
(00:51) WIDE SHOT – ROMANIAN C-27, ITALIAN EUROFIGHTER TYPHOONS AND UK EUROFIGHTER TYPHOONS FLYING IN FORMATION
(00:57) WIDE SHOT – ROMANIAN F-16S CHASING THE FORMATION
(01:00) VARIOUS SHOTS - ROMANIAN C-27 AND F-16S, ITALIAN EUROFIGHTER TYPHOONS AND UK EUROFIGHTER TYPHOONS FLYING IN FORMATION
(01:24) WIDE SHOT - UK EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON BREAKS RIGHT
(01:35) VARIOUS SHOTS – UK AND ITALIAN EUROFIGHTER TYPHOONS LEAVING THE FORMATION
(01:52) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – UK ROYAL AIR FORCE FLIGHT LIEUTENANT LEWIS TRAVERS, 3 (FIGHTER) SQUADRON PILOT
“So, in terms of our contribution to NATO, we will be on quick reaction alert, or QRA. And we’ll have our fighters, as you see the one behind me the FGR4[Eurofighter Typhoon], primed and ready with our crews, our engineers, with our technicians to launch that aircraft and defend NATO’s airspace.”
(02:09) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – UK ROYAL AIR FORCE FLIGHT LIEUTENANT LEWIS TRAVERS, 3 (FIGHTER) SQUADRON PILOT
“This opportunity is fantastic, actually, to work with our NATO partners. There’s a number of different air forces located here at MK [Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base] and we get to fly with those regularly, both in the QRA roles. But also, in terms of training. And you know, other nations here, we’ve got an opportunity with the ground forces, air forces and in particular, you know, those nations coming together. And we’ve already conducted some training with the American contingent here at the base, so we’re seizing everything we can just to make sure we are better, our skillset is honed and we’re working professionally with each other.”
(02:42) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – US AIR FORCE LIEUTENANT COLONEL WILLIAM PARKS, 480TH EXPEDITIONARY FIGHTER SQUADRON DETACHMENT COMMANDER
“Overall, the enhanced Air Policing makes NATO safer through multiple means. We’re getting the chance to train and integrate closer with our NATO Allies. We’re airborne and we’re securing the borders and just making sure that we have a presence across the entire eastern flank for NATO.”
(03:00) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – US AIR FORCE LIEUTENANT COLONEL WILLIAM PARKS, 480TH EXPEDITIONARY FIGHTER SQUADRON DETACHMENT COMMANDER
“The forward presence is important to show that we’re here in solidarity visibly and physically with our Romanian partners. It allows us to get airborne and provide better protection and support for the NATO borders. And it’s excellent training to work with all of the Allied partners, and different airframes and different mission sets.”
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Reference
NATO866071
ID
1947
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