Radio România Internațional

Tag: flank

  • Joint NATO-Romania exercises

    Joint NATO-Romania exercises

    Military of the US Army’s 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment in Romania have carried an exercise meant to strengthen the and antimissile integrated capabilities through the rapid deployment of the SHORAD systems. SHORAD have been specially conceived to counter the low-altitude threats and in a bid to secure NATO’s air space.

    Southern Shield 24 has been coordinated by US Army Command in Europe, jointly with the Romanian military structures. According to the US Embassy in Bucharest, the exercise ties in with NATO’s extended objectives, in a bid to promote and provide cohesion among the allied forces, at once ensuring stability and safety of NATO member states.

    Captain Kurt Blumeyer is the commander of the 1st Battalion’s Alpha Company as part of the 57th regiment. Captain Blumeyer thinks the participation, in Romania, in such n exercise is a message proving the US allies’ determination for the defense of NATO space.

    Captain Blumeyer said “We’re in north-eastern Romania for a routine exercise with our Romanian partners as well as with other US army structures, first of all to prove our rapid reaction force, with an anti-aircraft battery, so we can demonstrate this capability to swiftly reach anywhere along the eastern flank and provide feasible anti-aircraft forces in combat.

    Another thing that we do is to assure our allies we are determined to defend their air space, both the Romanians and the other allies taking part in the exercise, together with the rest of NATO alliance. And everybody understands that. “ US Army captain Kurt Blumeyer went on to say.

    Matthew Eickmeyer is a sergeant first class in the US Army. He is a platoon sergeant in are the 1st Battalion’s Alpha battery of the same regiment. At present he is posted in Romania, at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase in the south-east. Jointly with his platoon, sergeant Eickmeyer participates in the Southern Shield exercise for a couple of days.

    Here is what sergeant Eickmeyer said, quote, “We participate in an exercise testing my platoon’s capacity to act as a rapid reaction task force in the case of a threat. This is only a swift and brief exercise testing the abilities of our platoon. I am very proud of my soldiers; from the very moment they wake up when the day begins until the moment they lay their heads on the pillow at the end of the day. I am proud of everything they have achieved, proud of everything they accomplish day by day.

    Ever since this unit has been activated, a year ago, I was very enthused because of everything they have done and how much they have grown and how much they have achieved throughout the year. The eventual aim of this endeavor is to secure the Romanian partners and show them we defend each and every centimeter of NATO territory, not only on the ground, but also in the air. ”

    Also taking part in the Southern Shield exercise carried in Romania was the commander of the 52nd Anti-Aircraft defense Brigade stationed in Sembach, Germany. Colonel Hailey Bairu stated that everything that has been established though partnerships or joint understandings needs to be tested through such exercises. “Our leaders have spoken about how important our allies are, in the defense of Europe and what we do here, in Romania, is the implementation of this alliance.

    A partnership works only when we have proven our interoperability capacity as well as our ability to communicate, personally, tactically, but also at systemic level. Therefore, what we do here, in Romania, is to exert our ability to integrate with our Romanian allies.

    We are here on the eastern flank deploying an anti-aircraft and anti-missile system to make sure we can connect with them when the time comes and when it is needed to defend Europe’s each square centimeter, just as our leaders have said”, colonel Bairu stated.

  • New aircraft for the European F-16 Training Center hosted by Romania

    New aircraft for the European F-16 Training Center hosted by Romania

    Three aircraft of the Dutch Air Force landed last week at the F-16 Training Center in Fetești. The Dutch Minister of Defense, Kajsa Ollongren, also arrived in Romania on board one of them. The Dutch planes were accompanied in the Romanian airspace by two F-16 aircraft of the Romanian Air Forces, one of which carried the Romanian Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr. The aircraft landed at the 86th Air Base in Fetești, where the two officials discussed the security situation in the Black Sea region. In the European Training Center there are now 8 Dutch F-16 aircraft used for the training of the Romanian pilots and of those of allied and partner countries.

     

     

    On the other hand, the US Ambassador to Romania, Kathleen Kavalec, met with the American and Romanian soldiers stationed at the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base (southeast). Kavalec said that the presence of American soldiers at the Mihail Kogălniceanu Base is a symbol of the commitment of the United States to the security of Romania and the Alliance.

     

    My visit is intended to support Romania’s defense modernization efforts, including here, at the Mihail Kogălniceanu base, that hosts a large contingent of American forces, the largest contingent in Romania, said Katleen Kavalec.  Also, at the Mihail Kogălniceanu Base, five Eurofighter jets of the Spanish Air Force and a detachment of about 70 soldiers were deployed for aerial surveillance missions, after four of the six British fighter planes in our country were repositioned closer to the area of ​​Iran’s recent drone and missile attack on Israel.

     

    A group of soldiers from the 95th Air Base in Bacău (northeast) along with a French detachment participated in the VAMPIREX 24 exercise, held in the Secondary Combat Training Center Smârdan, Galati County (east). Also last week, in the Capu Midia range in Constanța county (south-east), a tactical exercise with live firing was held, in which the M-LIDS (Mobile-Low Integrated Defeat System), an anti-drone air system, was integrated into the military maneuvers carried out by the Romanian and US Armies. With the help of this system, the soldiers were able to identify, track and destroy the threats, using a combination of electronic warfare and high-caliber machine guns, according to a press release of the American Embassy in Romania. The deployment of the anti-drone air system in Romania is very important, M-LIDS being the newest anti-drone system of the US military that ensures successful countermeasures against enemy drones.

     

    SEA SHIELD 24, the biggest exercise of the Romanian Naval Forces this year, came to an end on Sunday, after two weeks of actions carried out by over 2,200 soldiers, of whom almost 400 foreign soldiers, with 135 technical means. Planning and conducting combat actions, combating illegal actions at sea and river, control of maritime and river traffic and search and rescue at sea, in keeping with NATO standards and in the context of current security threats, were practiced. (EE)

     

     

  • AWACS aircraft in Romania

    AWACS aircraft in Romania

    The
    most severe security crisis of the past decades, triggered at NATO’s eastern
    borders with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, forced the Alliance to move
    quickly to strengthen its eastern flank, which includes Romania as well.


    As
    many as 5,000 Allied troops are now on Romanian territory, and the
    multi-national Allied elements which were part of NATO’s Response Force prior
    to the conflict were turned into a NATO battle group spearheaded by France.


    The
    eastern flank bolstering process does not end here. As Russia’s illegal war in
    Ukraine continues to threaten peace and security in Europe, there must be no
    doubt about NATO’s resolve to protect and defend every inch of Allied territory,
    the Alliance emphasised in a recent news release announcing the deployment of 3
    AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) planes to Romania.


    The
    aircraft, regularly stationed in Germany, have been deployed to an air base
    near Bucharest, together with 180 specialised troops. They will conduct recon
    and surveillance missions in the Alliance’s eastern part. The planes are
    equipped with state-of-the-art equipment able to track and identify other
    aircraft over 400 km away. But they do not carry weapons, and are only used as
    air command posts. General Daniel Petrescu, chief of staff, spoke about the
    importance of this mission:


    Daniel
    Petrescu: Since February 2022, AWACS planes have conducted regular patrol
    missions in Eastern Europe and in the Baltic Sea region. The joint missions to
    be carried out here will also bring value added in terms of enhanced cohesion
    between the Romanian staff and the personnel of the NATO fleet, as well as in
    terms of inter-operability.


    The
    German troops’ AWACS mission in Romania is an important signal of
    trans-Atlantic and European solidarity, the German Ambassador to Bucharest said
    in his turn. According to him, this mission being commanded by the German
    brigadier general Stefan Neumann and the large number of German servicemen
    participating in it once again prove that we stand by our Romanian partners.


    With
    the help of the surveillance planes, the German diplomat added, an important
    contribution is made to strengthening the south-eastern flank and to supporting
    the NATO early warning system. Brigadier general Stefan Neumann said he was
    impressed with the professional and flexible support provided by the Romanian
    forces to this mission, which in his opinion once again proves how well NATO
    operates. With the Airborne Early Warning and Control System, NATO has a strong
    and flexible airborne and maritime surveillance capacity, the German official
    added. (AMP)

  • Strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, a priority

    Strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, a priority

    Consolidating the eastern
    flank of NATO is, in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a priority
    for the members of the organisation. At an informal meeting of the NATO foreign
    ministers in Berlin, the Romanian diplomacy chief Bogdan Aurescu emphasised the
    importance of the long-term consolidation of NATO’s deterrence and defence posture
    on the eastern flank, particularly at the Black Sea, in a balanced and unified
    manner.



    Minister Aurescu said the decision
    made by the Allied leaders at their Summit on 24 March, concerning the set-up
    of 4 new battle groups, one of them in Romania, is an especially useful first
    step in this respect, and thanked the Allied states involved. The talks in
    Berlin concerned NATO’s open door policy, the war in Ukraine and its impact on
    Euro-Atlantic security. Bogdan Aurescu said Romania was in favour of a quick
    accession of Finland and Sweden to the organisation, and pointed out that the 2
    countries’ membership will consolidate the Alliance as a whole, making it
    stronger.


    On the one hand, Romania
    is a firm supporter of the open-door policy, which has many benefits for the entire
    Alliance, and we know, from our own experience, how important it was for
    reforming Romania,ˮ the foreign minister said. At the same time, he added, Bucharest
    feels that the accession of these 2 states will consolidate the Alliance on the
    whole and we believe that, with Finland and Sweden members of the Alliance, the
    deterrence posture will be more efficient and defence more consolidated.ˮ


    Another topic approached
    at the Berlin meeting was the preparation of the decisions to be made at the
    Madrid Summit at the end of June, and during the working session the Romanian
    official pointed out that with these decisions, the Madrid Summit is likely to
    be a fundamental milestone in the history of the Alliance.


    Bogdan Aurescu highlighted that the new strategic concept to be endorsed by NATO
    leaders at the end of June, will define the Alliance’s profile and major lines
    of action for the next decade at least. He also emphasised the importance of this
    strategic document taking into account, in a realistic and adequate manner, the
    new security context facing the organisation, by highlighting the main threats
    and challenges and ensuring an efficient and proportionate response capacity. Minister
    Aurescu also said the new strategic concept should reflect the fact that Russia
    remains the main challenge for the Alliance. (A.M.P.)

  • May 10, 2021 UPDATE

    May 10, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 The government of Romania decided to extend the state of alert across the country by another 30 days beginning on 13 of May, and scrapped the ban on attending religious events outside citizens residence town or villages, the chief of the Directorate for Emergency Situations Raed Arafat announced. Cinema and theatre halls will reopen at 50% of their capacity in pilot events, allowing only people who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 or who have tested negative for the virus. Sports events will also be attended by people who have received the vaccine. 620 new infections with the SARS-CoV-2 were reported on Monday in Romania for the past 24 hours out of more than 10,700 tests carried out across the country, says the Strategic Communication Group. Another 68 people have died, bringing the death toll to 29,034. 1,066,731 infections have been confirmed in Romania since the beginning of the pandemic and 1,015,092 patients have recovered. 962 patients are presently in intensive care. The regions with the highest infection rates in the past 14 days have been the capital city Bucharest and Cluj in western Romania. These two regions are the only ones still in the so-called yellow zone in terms of infections. Romania’s vaccine rollout continues with a series of vaccination marathons, including an 8-day campaign in Craiova, in the south. Over 3.6 million people have so far got the booster dose.



    SUMMIT The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis said on Monday that the security situation at the Black Sea was disquieting, which is why NATO must continue to strengthen its deterrence and defence posture, especially in the eastern flank, in a unitary and coherent manner. “This is why we pleaded, including in my discussion with the US president Joe Biden, for enhanced presence of the Allied military forces, US forces included, in Romania and in NATOs eastern flank, Klaus Iohannis said at the end of the Bucharest Format Summit B9, in his joint statement together with his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda. Attending online the summit hosted by the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis, together with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda, were the US president Joe Biden, the NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg and the other heads of government in the Bucharest Format—Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary.



    VISIT The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis said on Monday that he discussed with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda the strengthening and broadening of the bilateral strategic partnership. The Polish president is on an official visit to Romania. On Tuesday the 2 officials will attend ‘Justice Sword 21’, a military exercise held at the Smârdan Base (eastern Romania), in which Polish troops and equipment deployed to Romania are also taking part.



    PLAN Romanian Prime Minister Florin Citu is this week going to Brussels to present the development projects included in the latest version of the country’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). Upon the latest talks with the European Commission representatives, authorities in Bucharest say that none of the projects included in the plan have been scrapped but the sums allotted have been seriously trimmed. The initial version of the plan had a budget of 42 billion euros, over 12 billion more than it can get from the EU. The RRP presently boasts a 3.7 billion euro budget for education as well as for other projects, such as the A7 motorway section linking the cities of Ploiesti to Buzau in the country’s south-east.



    PANDEMIC About 159 million people have got infected with the novel coronavirus since the onset of the pandemic the world over and more than 3.3 million have died, according to the latest updates on worldometers.info. Europe announces new relaxation measures as infection numbers are dropping. After more than six months of severe restrictions, Italy gives up the quarantine imposed on foreign tourists, while Germany eases restrictions for the people who got both vaccine doses. Some restrictions are also lifted in Spain, although only 12% of its population has been vaccinated. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Monday confirmed relaxed measures in Britain where more than two thirds of the adults have got the first jab. The number of infections in India has dropped below 400 thousand a day and the number of deaths has also started to decrease after two days to around 4 thousand. (tr. A.M. Popescu, bill)