Royal Air
Force Typhoons deployed to Romania have taken part in a major NATO exercise in
Hungary.
Two
RAF Typhoons from 135 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) joined several NATO allies at Papa airbase in Hungary as part of
Exercise LOAD DIFFUSER 17. Deployed as part of a force of four aircraft
to Mihail Kogalniceanu (MK)
airbase near Constanta in Romania, the two Typhoons were a huge hit with the
Hungarian public.
Representing
the EAW, Paul, a senior RAF pilot, said:
“During the two days we were there we were
absolutely mobbed by a range of media who wanted to see our aircraft up close
and to learn what it was like to fly. It was a privilege to show so many VIPs
around the Typhoon, to answer all their questions, and to see how impressed
they were.”
The main purpose of the exercise was to test
and increase the interoperability of the various NATO partner air forces. As a
change from the Quick Reaction Alert duties that they had been carrying out in
Romanian since May, the Typhoons acted as ‘Red Air’ on 7 June to test
themselves and their allies. Paul added:
“Playing as ‘Red Air’, pretending to be the
enemy, gave us the opportunity to fly against a range of aircraft that we would
not normally encounter. It was also a superb opportunity to show off how truly
capable and World-leading the Typhoon is.”
Held from 22 May until 9 June, this was the biggest air exercise in Hungary in for many years. Alongside the Typhoons
were some 400 people from the air forces of Hungary, the United States,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia and the Czech Republic.
Explaining why the trip across the border from
Romania was so worthwhile, Paul explained:
“Exercises like this allow
us to fly in a range of roles with our NATO partners; essential to
strengthening relationships with allied and partner nations, helping to
maintain joint readiness and interoperability, and to reassure European allies
and partners”.
The
RAF aircraft deployed to Romania are part of the UK’s contribution to
reassurance measures to ensure the operational capability of NATO’s eastern
flank. The enhanced Air Policing mission demonstrates NATO’s flexible
capabilities and readiness, underlining the commitment of Allies to each other.
Editor: Sqn Ldr Toby Watkins
Images: Sgt Neil Bryden
© MOD Crown Copyright 2017
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