The Italian Air Force (AMI) concluded on Friday (01) the deployment of its Eurofighter Typhoon fighters in Eastern Europe. The combat aircraft had been in Romania for seven months in response to Russia's stance against Ukraine.
Italian F-2000 Typhoons arrived at the Romanian Mihail Kogălniceanu air base in December 2021, even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February. There, the planes began to operate in NATO's Enhanced Air Policing Mission (eAP), patrolling the skies of the Military Alliance's eastern flank.
The mission of the Italians, however, does not end now. Allied Air Command says that, still in of the eAP, the planes will be deployed in northern Poland in August.
After reaching full operational capability in early December, eAP South operations began with four Typhoon fighters. Command and control of the Italian fighters was transferred to NATO Allied Air Command in Ramstein, , acting through its Southern Combined Air Operations Center in Torrejón, Spain.
In response to Russia's actions in Ukraine, NATO decided – at the end of February 2022 – to implement additional safeguard measures, promoting a persistent and reinforced posture of deterrence and defense on the Alliance's eastern borders.
In accordance with this decision, Italy immediately doubled the air assets employed by the TFA-R.
“When the detachment handed over the eAP mission in Romania to the Royal Air Force Typhoons in April, the mission of the Italian Eurofighters switched to the so-called Enhanced Surveillance Activity (eVA)”, said Colonel Losengo.
“This set of measures is designed to send a message of cohesion and solidarity among Allies, increasing readiness and deterrence, and to demonstrate NATO's firm commitment to the defense of all Allies”, he added.
The TFA was made up of around 160 servicemen, mostly from the Italian Air Force. The Eurofighters and crews that participated in operations in Romania came from all wings of the Italian Air Force that employed this fighter.
Parallel to the main mission, a high degree of interoperability was achieved with Alliance air assets deployed in the area.
In addition to the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) service run in conjunction with German Eurofighters in April, the Italian TFA conducted Personnel Recovery and Slow Aircraft Interception exercises with Romanian and US air forces.
The Task Force also carried out more t activities with the French and Romanian Navy, and finally flew close air missions for Belgian, French, Romanian and American army contingents.
“In recent months we have carried out intense operations in of the Alliance”, said Colonel Losengo. “It would be impossible to safely achieve the Task Force's goals without the professionalism and commitment of the team. I congratulate you for the excellent performance”, he added.
“And I also want to express my sincere appreciation for the that the Host Nation has given us; in particular the leadership and personnel of the 57th Air Base of the Romanian Air Force, where the TFA-R has been stationed since its inception,” concluded.
Italian Typhoons will continue to run NATO eAP operations in Poland in early August, when a new TFA will be established in the north.
