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| Spying on Russian Military Movements, NATO Deploys 3 AWACS Reconnaissance Aircraft to Romania |
Bucharest - Three NATO reconnaissance aircraft arrived in Romania on Tuesday (17/1/2023) to reinforce the alliance's eastern wing. The three spy planes will also carry out missions to monitor Russian military activity.
NATO announced last week that it would deploy Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) reconnaissance aircraft to Bucharest, where they would begin reconnaissance flights only over the territory of NATO countries.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, NATO has increased its air presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltics, including fighter jets, reconnaissance aircraft and tanker aircraft.
Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar confirmed that three reconnaissance aircraft from Germany had arrived in Bucharest. "The AWACS jets arrive in Bucharest, from there they will transmit information to NATO about every tactical and operational movement on the alliance's borders," Tilvar said.
NATO, Tilvar said, would track Russia's military actions on its eastern flank using these planes. Quoting Reuters, the planes deployed to Romania belonged to a fleet of 14 NATO reconnaissance aircraft usually based in Germany. About 180 military personnel were deployed to support the mission.
"As Russia's illegal war in Ukraine continues to threaten peace and security in Europe, there must be no doubt about NATO's determination to protect and defend every inch of Allied territory," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said in a January 12 statement. "Our AWACS can detect aircraft hundreds of kilometers away, making it a key capability for NATO's deterrence and defense posture."