Geopolitics
A-10 Attack Aircraft Deployed To Romania
Fot. kpt. Piotr Spólny/7BOW
The US has deployed 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II/Warthog attack aircraft to Romania. This has been done in order to reinforce the NATO Eastern Flank, in the light of the Ukrainian crisis.
The Warthogs will be involved in the Dacian Thunder 2015 exercise. They have been deployed to Romania by the 355th Fighter Wing which permanently stationed in the United States; the jets are currently based in Europe, as a part of the Theater Security Package which is basically a periodic reinforcement of the air forces in Europe. The tasks related to this initiative are carried out by the units based in the US on a permanent basis. The Romanian exercise also involves execution of training sorties that are flown jointly with the Romanian Air Force’s MiG-21’s.
The infamous Warthogs were also deployed to the Polish Powidz airbase earlier on. There, they were involved in training flights and in the Dragoon Ride operation – aim of which was to transfer the deployed units of the US Army 2nd Cavarly Regiment from Poland and the Baltic states to the location of their permanent base, in Germany.
There is another Theater Security Package that has been sent to Europe – it consists of 12 F-15C fighters of the US National Guard 125th Fighter Wing. These fighters would be involved, among other operations, in the training operation in Bulgaria and in the Frisian Flag exercise, taking place in Holland. The latter exercise is to involve the Polish Air Force as well.