NATO is preparing to send Boeing E-3 Sentry long-range reconnaissance aircraft to Romania.  They will monitor the military activities of the Russian Federation.

NATO redeploys reconnaissance aircraft to Romania

Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) reconnaissance aircraft will arrive in Otopeni, near Bucharest, on January 17 “to support the strengthened presence of the Alliance in the region and to monitor Russia’s military activities,” NATO said.  About 180 military personnel will also be sent to the Romanian Air Force base in Otopeni to maintain aircraft.

The aircraft belong to a fleet of 14 NATO reconnaissance aircraft, usually based in Geilenkirchen, Germany.  They will begin reconnaissance flights exclusively over Alliance territory, and the mission will last several weeks.

“As Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine continues to threaten peace and security in Europe, there should be no doubt about NATO’s determination to defend every inch of Allied territory,” NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said in a statement.

“Our AWACS can detect aircraft hundreds of kilometers away, making them a key deterrent and defense tool for NATO.  I thank Romania for hosting the aircraft, which makes an important contribution to our early warning,” she added.

 NATO responds to Russian aggression

In response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, NATO has increased its air presence in Eastern Europe with additional fighters, reconnaissance aircraft and tankers.  Since February 2022, NATO AWACS aircraft have been carrying out regular patrols over Eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea region to track Russian combat aircraft near NATO borders, according to a press release.