RAF Lossiemouth based Typhoons currently conducting the NATO enhanced Air Policing mission in Romania, have been scrambled in response to several Russian fighters entering Romanian controlled air space over the Black Sea.
Several Russian SU-24 Fencer and SU-30 Flanker Fighters were tracked entering the Romanian Flight Information Region, which is the area of International airspace controlled by Romania on 22 June. The Russian aircraft had not previously filed flight plans or contacted air traffic controllers.
Operating from the Romanian Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base near Constanta on the Black Sea coast, RAF Typhoons were scrambled to intercept and directed by RAF and Romanian Air Battlespace Managers operating from the Romanian Control Reporting Centre.
The Russian aircraft left the Romanian Flight Information Region before the RAF Typhoons come within visual range of them.
“Today’s successful first scramble demonstrates that we are fully integrated into the NATO air policing system from our operating base here in Romania. This was a routine operation that the RAF has a great deal of experience in and was no different to what other NATO aircraft do in other areas on a regular basis. Across the Wing, I am proud of the work that our pilots, drivers, technicians, intelligence staff and other personnel are doing round the clock to help secure the NATO airspace in the Black Sea region."
Wing Commander Stephen Lamping
Commanding Officer 121 Expeditionary Air Wing, Romania
The RAF mission is code named Operation Biloxi and is the UK contribution to NATO's enhanced Air Policing mission which is part of the NATO Assurance Measures first introduced in 2014 following the annexation of the Crimea by Russia. With this enhanced capability, NATO Alliance demonstrates its collective commitment to deterrence and defence specifically, to the Allies on the eastern flank of the Alliance.
