North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Air Command
August 21, 2014
NATO FIGHTERS OVER BULGARIA LATEST EXAMPLE OF ALLIANCE RESOLVE IN EASTERN EUROPE
Ramstein, GERMANY: Twelve United States Air Force F-15C fighter aircraft were deployed to Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria on Monday, 18 August. They will conduct flying operations and training with MiG-29 fighters from the Bulgarian Air Force until the end of the month. The deployment is part of NATO’s ongoing efforts to ensure its collective defence and demonstrate Allied solidarity and readiness.
The U.S. aircraft, which were deployed from Royal Air Force Base Lakenheath, United Kingdom, together with more than 180 airmen, will remain in Bulgaria until 1 September. During this period the F-15Cs will operate under NATO authority and their activities will be controlled by NATO’s southern Combined Air Operations Centre in Torrejon, Spain.
According to General Frank Gorenc, Commander of NATO’s Allied Air Command at Ramstein Air Base, the deployment highlights the essence of NATO collective defence. “This is what NATO and our Alliance is all about,” he said. “It is pretty simple – we connect our NATO forces by training together. Over the next two weeks we are connecting 12 deployed F15Cs, Bulgarian Forces, and Allied command and control assets.”
F-15 Eagle fighter jets assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing taxi the runway 15 Aug. 2014, before take-off at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, in preparation for a bilateral training event at Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria. The F-15 fighter pilots’ flying training deployment to Bulgaria focuses on maintaining joint readiness while building interoperability capabilities. – Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Erin O’Shea
“It took NATO only three weeks from idea to action,” General Gorenc added. “These deployments are important to further develop Allied interoperability and responsiveness. And last but not least, they provide huge training benefits for both our aircrew and command and control team.”
This isn’t the first time this U.S. unit has deployed in support of NATO’s assurance measures. From January to April this year, a total of ten F-15Cs from Lakenheath, United Kingdom, were deployed to Siauliai, Lithuania, under the control of NATO’s northern CAOC at Uedem, Germany, to execute NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission.
NATO has implemented a range of military measures including air, land, and maritime activities that reinforce collective defence and demonstrate the strength of Allied solidarity. A Readiness Action Plan is currently being developed which will consist of a range of measures to respond to the changed security environment. These measures will include increasing the readiness of the NATO Response Force, pre-positioning equipment and supplies, enhancing NATO’s intelligence and awareness, and focusing our exercises on specific defence challenges. These measures will be a main point of discussion at the NATO Summit in Cardiff, Wales in early September.
Story by HQ AIRCOM Public Affairs Office
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