On Monday, 1st November, a demonstrative Enhanced Air Policing Exercise was conducted by Romanian and Canadian soldiers at 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base.

The exercise also included the interception of a “target” aircraft represented by a C–27J Spartan airlift aircraft ,which flew on route 90th Airlift Base Otopeni – 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, by F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft belonging to the Romanian Air Force (Permanent Combat Service -Air Policing) and by CF-188/RCAF aircraft belonging to the Canadian Royal Air Forces deployed to the 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base for the execution of the enhanced Air Poling Missions.

At the end of the activity, an aviation exhibition was organized at the the 57th Air Base, after the landing of the aircraft.

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The enhanced Air Policing Missions conducted jointly contribute to the development of the reaction and deterrence capability as well as to the consolidation of interoperability between the Romanian Air Force and Canadian Royal Air Forces.

The Romanian Air Force has been conducting the Air Policing Mission under CAOC Torrejon command since Romania joined NATO. The NATO-led enhanced Air Policing Mission is a collective defense mission conducted during peacetime in order to protect the integrity of the Alliance air space. Two fighter-bombers are ready at any time to be employed for the execution of the Air Policing Combat Service, in the 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base.

The main mission of the Permanent Combat Service -Air Policing is to defend the national air space by intercepting the aircraft which breaches the national territory without authorization, out of various reasons.

This year marks 60 years since the execution of the first NATO-led Air policing Mission.