NATO to move reconnaissance aircraft to Romania

NATO is moving some of its reconnaissance aircraft to Romania, which are currently based in Germany. These aircraft will be closer to the territory of Ukraine as Russia continues its occupation of that country.

Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) reconnaissance aircraft are expected to arrive in Bucharest on Tuesday “to support the Alliance’s increased presence in the region and monitor Russian military activity,” NATO said in a statement.

Stationed normally in western Germany, the AWACS aircraft will be based at Romania’s Otopeni air base near Bucharest, about 200 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. These aircraft will remain in Romania – a member state of NATO and the European Union – for several weeks.

“As Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine continues to threaten peace and security in Europe, there should be no doubt about NATO’s determination to defend every inch of allies’ territory,” NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said.

“Our AWACS can detect aircraft from hundreds of kilometers away, making it a key capability for NATO’s deterrence and defense posture. We thank Romania, which will receive the aircraft, a country that makes an important contribution to our early warning,” she added.

About 180 military personnel will also be deployed to the Otopeni base. NATO did not specify how many of its 14 AWACS aircraft currently based in Germany will be sent to Romania. But according to dpa, it has been learned that three aircraft will be sent to Romania.

AWACS aircraft and their radars are capable of detecting and identifying other aircraft at a distance of more than 400 kilometers. These aircraft can also send information to other aircraft.

In the past, such aircraft were used in operations against the Islamic State militant group or in Afghanistan./REL