F-18s belonging to the Tactical Air Detachment (DAT in Spanish) ‘Paznic’, deployed at Mikhail Kogalniceanu Air Base (Romania), have conducted a night air-to-air exercise in Romanian airspace alongside a Gulfstream G550 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) from the Aeronautica Militare d'Italia.
The exercise consisted of a series of air-to-air combat simulations in which intercept control was provided by controllers aboard a Gulfstream G550 AWACS of the Italian Aeronautica Militare. These types of Italian AWACS missions have been conducted in Romanian airspace since 2022.
These exercises are of great importance in the configuration of air units as expeditionary forces, allowing combat aircraft to be controlled in areas far from their bases, where surveillance and control centres (CRCs) are often located.
In this way, the capabilities of integrating the resources of different allied air forces are tested, in this case Italy and Spain, to execute missions without the presence on the ground of personnel trained to direct the operation.
Persistent Effort Operation
The Spanish contingent deployed at the Mihail Kogălniceanu air base (Romania) is part of the ‘Persistent Effort’ operation, which also includes the UDAA NASAMS in Latvia, the Patriot battery in Turkey and the ‘Tigru’ detachment - with the radar of the Mobile Air Control Group (GRUMOCA by its Spanish acronym) - also deployed on the shores of the Black Sea, in Romania.
All in all, Spain's participation in protecting the eastern flank of Allied territory is a sign of Spain's commitment to the Alliance and another example of solidarity with our allies, with whom we share the values that support and protect democracy, freedom and global security.