Alert Issued by NATO Regarding Eurofighter Jets Deployed in Romania

The NATO Mission enhanced Air Policing South, a part of NATO's overall air policing efforts, has seen a new development with the deployment of German combat aircraft. This long-term deployment, scheduled to last until March 2026, is intended to provide military capabilities that a NATO partner does not have sufficiently on its own.

The deployment is not limited to the response to Russian air strikes, but is part of a broader mission to secure the southeastern flank of NATO. The German Air Force is currently participating with approximately 170 soldiers and five Eurofighters in armed protective flights.

The deployment began this month, and the aircraft took off from the Romanian military airport Mihail Kogălniceanu near Constanța. However, it's important to note that ultimately, the Romanian airspace was not violated.

This deployment marks the first mention of a long-term German deployment in the region. It functions similarly to NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission in Northern Europe, where NATO countries rotate deployments of fighter jets to protect Baltic airspace.

Several NATO countries are taking turns providing support for the NATO Mission enhanced Air Policing South. While precise information on which countries are specifically part of this mission was not provided directly, other NATO members like Italy, Hungary, France, and the Czech Republic play key roles in enhanced military presence in southern and eastern Europe.

Recently, the German Eurofighters were scrambled in response to Russian air strikes on the border region of Ukraine with Romania. This incident marked the first quick reaction alert of the new deployment. The aircraft landed safely without incident.

It's crucial to note that the deployment is focused on securing the southeastern flank of NATO, not specifically Romania's border region. The German military spokesman provided this information to Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

In conclusion, the NATO Mission enhanced Air Policing South is a vital part of NATO's efforts to protect southern member states' airspace. The current deployment involves the German Air Force, and while specific country participation details may vary, other NATO members play significant roles in the mission. This deployment marks the first long-term German deployment in the region, aiming to bolster NATO's collective defense capabilities.