News articles

Senior RAF and German Air Force Officers fly to Romania to see joint NATO Air Policing training

Three Officers walk, with vehicles behind them.
Air Marshal Mayhew, Lieutenant General Gerhartz, and Major General Pana about to watch the practise scramble.

The RAF Deputy Commander Operations and the German Inspector Luftwaffe have each flown to Romania to witness the joint NATO Air Policing that detachments from each Air Force are conducting. 

Air Marshal Mayhew from the RAF and Lieutenant General Gerhartz from the German Luftwaffe were joined by Major General Pana, the Chief of the Romanian Air Force, together with other guests, to witness the first ever live armed training scramble carried out by a RAF Typhoon, Luftwaffe Eurofighter and The Romanian Air Force Mig-21 LanceR.

The Typhoon and Eurofighter flying.
The Typhoon and Eurofighter break on arrival as they prepare to land.

Earlier Air Marshal Mayhew and Lieutenant General Gerhartz had met, flying over Germany where they refuelled from a RAF Voyager tanker aircraft, before flying on to land at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Southern Romania.  On arrival at the Romanian Air Base, the two senior officers were welcomed by Major General Pana.

“With our enhanced UK-German NATO air policing mission and our advanced concept of interoperability we have reached a new level of cooperation within the NATO Air Power community.   Now, together with the RAF we are deepening our cooperation in various fields.  In future, we will cooperate even closer, operating our Eurofighter fleets together wherever possible to exploit effectiveness and efficiency.  An alliance is only as strong as the allies’ mutual support.”

Lieutenant-General Gerhartz
German Inspector Luftwaffe

RAF Typhoon, German Eurofighter and Romanian MIG 21 LanceR fly in formation.
The armed RAF Typhoon, German Eurofighter and Romanian MIG 21 LanceR fly in formation after carrying out the very first armed joint NATO practise Air Policing scramble.

The RAF detachment in Romania is formed by 121 Expeditionary Air Wing which is carrying out the NATO enhanced Air Policing mission.  The German Luftwaffe detachment from the Tactical Air Wing 71 Richthofen is currently integrated into 121 Expeditionary Air Wing and together the personnel from the two Air Forces are carrying out the latest round of NATO Air Policing integration.

“I am delighted to be here with our Romanian and German allies during the 60th year of NATO Quick Reaction Alert to witness this important occasion.  Today re-enforces the commitment of both the RAF and the Luftwaffe to achieving a joint NATO Air Policing mission."

Air Marshal Mayhew
RAF Deputy Commander Operations

After attending a parade and witnessing an overflight when the aircraft conducting the scramble returned to base, Air Marshal Mayhew, Lieutenant General Gerhartz, and Major General Pana each re-iterated their nations’ commitment to closer integration as NATO allies.  

Typhoon tanking German Eurofighter.
RAF Voyager tanks the RAF Typhoon and German Eurofighter over Germany. 

During the ceremony Lieutenant General Gerhartz and Major General Pana, signed a Declaration of Intent for the development of bilateral relations in the Air Domain between Romania and Germany.  Air Marshal Mayhew and Lieutenant General Gerhartz also stated that a Common Declaration on UK and German Typhoon/Eurofighter interoperability was to be signed soon. 

Typhoons and Eurofighter landing.
The Typhoon and Eurofighter taxi in.

“The next step will be the signing of a Common Declaration on UK and German Eurofighter/Typhoon interoperability, which the Air Chiefs look forward to signing when they next meet; this important document will facilitate future combined exercises and operations between our nations.”

Air Marshal Mayhew
RAF Deputy Commander Operations