The 'Paznic' Detachment Concludes its Deployment in Romania

• The 6 Eurofighters from 14th Wing have participated in deterrence and training missions as part of NATO’s Flexible Deterrence Options

The mission of the 'Paznic' Detachment at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Romania has come to an end, where the Eurofighters of 14^th Wing conducted a variety of missions ranging from aerial surveillance to training exercises with allied countries, contributing to NATO's Flexible Deterrence Options (FDO).

A military ceremony was held at the Romanian base, where Spanish personnel involved in the deployment were awarded various decorations. The ceremony was presided over by Brigadier General Fernando Martín Pascual, representing the Commander of Spanish Operations Command, alongside Major General Constantin Spinu, representing the Romanian Minister of National Defence. Also present was Brigadier General Ioan Mischie, representing the Chief of the Romanian Air Force.

Mission Complete, Returning Home

Personnel from the 'Paznic' Detachment will begin their return to Spain next week after successfully completing the air policing mission on NATO’s eastern flank.

Initially, the detachment deployed with approximately 140 personnel, primarily from Albacete Air Base, to sustain operations of the 6 Eurofighter Typhoons from 14^th Wing . Four Spanish controllers were also deployed to the Crystal Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) in Bucharest. In late January, a further addition was made to the detachment with an A400 aircraft from 31^st Wing.

Throughout the deployment, personnel from the 'Paznic' Detachment conducted joint exercises that promoted interoperability and reinforced the collective defence capabilities of the Alliance. The detachment also worked closely with the European Fighter Training School (EFTC), 53^rd Squadron, and the French Mamba detachment, with the goal of fostering relationships and sharing tactics and procedures.

Over the four months of deployment, the Eurofighters completed 437 sorties and logged 800 flight hours. They also participated in an Alpha Scramble in which two Spanish aircraft intervened near the Romanian border in response to the detection of a drone.

This deployment was part of NATO’s operations to strengthen deterrence and defense on Europe’s eastern flank, increasing its presence and highlighting the importance of continuous air surveillance to protect the airspace of NATO allies.

After the 'Paznic' Detachment's withdrawal, Spain’s commitment to the security and surveillance of airspace on NATO’s eastern flank continues with the ‘Tigru’ Detachment, based in Schitu, Romania, reaffirming Spain’s role as a reliable and proactive ally in the collective defense of NATO.