Fighter jets based in the East Midlands have been deployed to the Romanian Black Sea coast as part of an operation to protect the country's airspace. Four Typhoons from RAF Coningsby have been sent on the mission, which is supported by 150 RAF personnel, it has been confirmed.
Lincolnshire Live reports the personnel for the Headquarters of an Expeditionary Air Wing (AEW). The mission, known as Air Policing, is a defensive operation and forms part of a permanent NATO mission which started in 1961, at the height of The Cold War.
It protects the security and integrity of all NATO Alliance member's airspaces, which are monitored by operation centres where it is assessed if an interception is required. The name of the mission is Operation Biloxi and it is the fourth time since 2017 that the RAF has conducted it. The deployment is in addition to long-standing continuous missions undertaken by NATO Allies across the Eastern Flank.
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Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey said: "The UK remains committed to NATO and European security in the face of Russian aggression and the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Operation Biloxi is a long-standing NATO mission and the Royal Air Force are playing a central role in security and deterrence in Europe."
Air vice-marshal Phil Robinson, Officer Commanding 11 Group, said: "The arrival of our personnel and equipment in the region highlights the RAF’s continued commitment and contribution to the NATO Air Policing mission in Romania. During the deployment, we will be working alongside our Romanian and other NATO partners, enabling the delivery of the mission and protecting and reassuring our allies, whilst building confidence and maintaining deterrence."
